Considerations for the delivery of humanitarian aid during a ceasefire in Gaza

Update to UN Member States by Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher

* Originally posted at unocha.org.

A ceasefire or a pause in hostilities in Gaza would create an opportunity for the scale up of humanitarian assistance. This is needed to meet the urgent lifesaving needs of the population across all of Gaza. However, the conditions on the ground in Gaza pose significant challenges to the implementation of any scaled-up aid delivery.

This document identifies current challenges to aid delivery, the proposed solutions that need to be implemented primarily by Israeli authorities and the planned response for and initial 30 days (extendable) if there is an enabling environment. The proposed solutions and the planned response both include measurable indicators for implementation.  

Section 1: Current challenges

Humanitarian aid delivery in Gaza is currently constrained by:

1. Threats to humanitarian workers and installations. Movement and delivery capacity is increasingly constrained. Humanitarian partners face escalating challenges, with intensified combat and bombing occurring near Coordination and Liaison Administration (CLA) - designated routes, convoy holding points and humanitarian facilities.

2. A breakdown in law and order. This is partly due to the collapse of the civilian police force, leading to insecurity at the crossings and for convoys moving within Gaza. It is further compounded by the increase in armed gangs.

3. Regular denials or delays by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) for coordinated movements. This results in delays, lost time and difficulty planning. Moreover, the UN convoy movement delays related to IDF permissions increase the level of risk due to nearby kinetic activity. Resources are regularly wasted as convoys spend hours waiting for the green light to move only to be denied, tying up operational capacity that might have supported other parts of the response during this time. In the South, a typical round trip involving trucks—traveling from the office to the crossing point for loading and returning to the office after offloading—takes an average of 20 hours.

4. Poor telecommunications. Communications challenges in Gaza continue to cause planning delays and security risks. Local networks are often down near crossings, satellite phones are frequently jammed, and outdated VHF equipment hinders convoy coordination. Despite efforts, little progress has been made on alternative satellite internet or upgrading VHF systems.

5. Large gatherings of desperate people who take cargo directly from the truck. Large crowds of desperate people often prevent trucks from moving and take goods directly from the truck. This severely limits agencies’ ability to reach vulnerable communities, fueling frustration with the UN and increasing security risks.

6. Lack of route alternatives. When the UN determines one route to be insecure or at too high a risk of looting, there is a lack of alternatives approved by Israeli authorities. Most of the routes assigned by the CLA are unsuitable, either impassable for long truck convoys, passing through crowded markets, or controlled by dangerous gangs.

7. Insufficient logistical equipment. This includes armored vehicles (Avs), spare parts, and protective equipment (vests and helmets, EOD equipment), which are currently not allowed by Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT). This limits the ability of the UN to move safely. There is also a shortage of warehouse space in Gaza due to multiple evacuation orders. Additionally, following a series of critical incidents on UN convoys and UN managed facilities, the truck capacity that was available during the January ceasefire has been depleted.

8. Poor road conditions. Approximately 68 per cent of roads in Gaza are damaged. Overcrowding of people in the Southern Governorates is also limiting the ability of humanitarian supplies to move within the strip.

9. Unpredictable and inefficient supply lines. Supplies currently come from Israel, West Bank and Egypt to Kerem Shalom, Jordan to Zikim and Ashdod/Israel to Zikim and Kerem Shalom. However, not all of these crossings are predictably open. This makes it difficult to plan and results in humanitarian operations that are opportunistically delivered based on the supplies at hand rather than based on a planned response to the identified needs. New requirements, e.g. of customs clearance, are particularly cumbersome for health given diversity of supplied medicines/items. The lack of a designated UN run platform at crossing points complicates supply management, causes delays, and increases the risk of looting. Large-scale fuel entry is limited to Kerem Shalom, making north Gaza dependent on unreliable south-to-north coordinated transfers. Additionally, COGAT is introducing a restrictive fuel dispatch system through a single private provider for all humanitarian actors in Gaza.

10. Complicated process for the entry of humanitarian staff. With Rafah closed, UN and NGO staff can only rotate in via Kerem Shalom and exit through Jordan, a limited and unsustainable option that requires international staff to drive armored vehicles to the crossing. These vehicles, used for rotations, are then unavailable for field operations. Meanwhile, Israeli authorities are increasingly denying entry to humanitarian staff to Gaza.

11. Limitation of humanitarian partners able to deliver/dispatch aid to Gaza. Since 19 May, most INGOs and NNGOs have been excluded from 2720 clearance and convoy manifesting. UN agencies are also facing growing operational restrictions due to Israeli legislation and related policies.

Many of the above challenges would need to be solved if a scale up of humanitarian operations were to be implemented during a pause / ceasefire.

Section 2: Proposed solutions and measurable indicators of implementation

The following solutions need to be implemented prior to and during a ceasefire in order to enable a meaningful humanitarian response.

1. UN and humanitarian partners must be able to safely deliver assistance and monitor its delivery. This means that humanitarian locations and movements must not be targeted, including when moving in close proximity to any agreed buffer zone. During a potential ceasefire, civilian police may resume operations in certain areas.

Measurable indicator of implementation

• If looting by criminal gangs remains a problem, the UN and partners may request area or convoy security based on an assessment of the risk and in line with humanitarian principles.
• Fuel is provided to the civilian police through the private sector or based on a request to the UN by the relevant parties.
• Any agreed boundaries between the parties is clearly demarcated to ensure humanitarian partners are able to deliver assistance safely.
• UN2720 Monitors are allowed to move to/from and be present during working hours at all crossing points into Gaza, as well as at warehouses and distribution sites, in order to track humanitarian aid delivery effectively.

2. Logistical equipment must enter Gaza urgently. The Israeli government must allow the urgent dispatch, through the reduction of bureaucratic processes, of communications equipment (including VHF and satellite solutions), protective gear, armored vehicles, trucks, spare parts, prefabs for staff accommodation and generators.

Measurable indicator of implementation

• The entry of additional trucks and/or spare parts is facilitated by Egyptian and Israeli authorities prior to the commencement of the ceasefire.
• Approval through the 2720 Mechanism for items related to logistical capacity detailed above are approved prior to the commencement of the ceasefire.
• Satellite based communications alternatives, additional VHF radiocommunication devices and repeaters requested by the UN are enabled to enter Gaza by Israeli authorities prior to the commencement of the ceasefire.
• Telecommunications networks are re-established by Israeli authorities throughout Gaza.
  Prefabs are able to enter Gaza for additional staff accommodation prior to the commencement of the ceasefire.
• Unexploded ordnance (UXO) clearance equipment for UN and humanitarian partners is approved and facilitated to enter Gaza.

3. The population inside Gaza must be allowed to move freely and safely. A reduction of the congestion inside Gaza must be enabled by allowing the population to move freely and without fear of harassment, detention and being taken into custody. This means the population must remain able to travel South to North and vice versa and return to their areas of origin.

Measurable indicator of implementation

• IDF checkpoints removed from Salah ad Deen road and the population can move freely without screening, detention or taking them into custody and are able to move with their belongings.
• Any agreed maps of troop withdrawal must be accompanied with the provision of clear demarcation, including physical and visible barriers where it is agreed that civilians are not allowed to enter.

4. Entry of aid into Gaza and efficiency gains at existing crossings. The scale up of the humanitarian operation must make use of all available crossing points. Opening hours need to be expanded to optimize daylight hours and the crossing also needs to operate fully on Friday and Saturday. More than one crossing point into both the north and the south would be needed to mitigate against the risks of looting. If required, to avoid delays and fulfill the required daily target, Egyptian or Jordanian trucks could cross directly into Gaza to offload cargo at UN distribution points. It is essential that the IDF at crossing points refrains from excessive involvement in determining the composition, size, and destination of convoys, to ensure more efficient and predictable humanitarian operations.

Measurable indicator of implementation

• The use of all corridors including Egypt, West Bank, Jordan and Israel are facilitated.
• Zikim / Erez East remains opened by Israeli authorities for the movement of goods in addition to Kerem Shalom and Kissufim/Gate 96 crossing into the south.
• Rafah is reopened or an alternative crossing is opened to allow for private sector cargo to enter and to not congest the crossings used for humanitarian cargo.
• Israeli authorities increase operating hours of all crossings.
• Rafah Crossing is opened as an additional entry point for the movement of humanitarian personnel.
• Egyptian and Jordanian trucks deliver goods directly into Gaza and offload at preidentified distribution points if needed.
• Customs clearance is waived on all humanitarian items.

5. Improved ability to move along main supply routes within Gaza. Effective aid delivery requires both the coastal and Salah ad Deen roads to be open from first light, with unrestricted access for UN staff and cargo. Humanitarian workers must be able to move through any remaining checkpoints without harassment, and the IDF must repair or facilitate repairs of damaged roads.

Measurable indicators of implementation

• If checkpoints remain in place, they are open from first light to sundown and do not hinder movement of supplies or people.
• Entry of road repair material including heavy machinery and gravel is approved and facilitated to enter. Roads are repaired prior to the ceasefire to a state in which trucks can pass and to allow for multiple viable routes of delivery within Gaza.
• UXO and Explosive remnants of war (ERW) work is facilitated and cleared from main supply routes by humanitarian actors.

6. The private sector needs to be revived to complement the humanitarian response. Basic commodities from the private sector need to enter at scale, humanitarian aid cannot sustain a population of over 2 million people. If the target is 600 trucks entering Gaza per day, then 350 would need to be with commercial goods, 150 with UN and INGO supplies, and 100 with items collected by the Red Crescent societies and/or bilateral member state donations. Private sector goods need to be dispatched throughout Gaza.

Measurable indicators of implementation

• Private sector trucks cross into Gaza and are permitted throughout Gaza Strip from a dedicated crossing  point.
• The civilian population has access to private sector fuel.

7. Assistance must reach all of Gaza. Humanitarian assistance, including fuel, must be facilitated to all parts of Gaza to address the most urgent needs and to restore the trust of the community. Our inability to deliver will erode community acceptance.

Measurable indicators of implementation

• Proportion of UN trucks delivered to each part of Gaza is based on the estimated population size.
• Percentage of requested fuel transfer missions to north Gaza that are approved/successful.
• Percentage of humanitarian assistance reaching end services / targeted families – individuals.
• Number of safeguarding protection teams present in large scale distributions organized by sectors and  clusters to ensure that assistance reaches the most vulnerable ones without causing harm.
• Facilitation and deployment of 2720 Monitors.

 8. Entry of critical humanitarian items must be facilitated. Restrictions on assistive devices, spare parts for AVs, trucks, comms equipment and vehicles must be eased urgently. Israeli authorities should also lift bans on items essential for the restoration, maintenance and continued functionality of sanitation, medical equipment, solar systems, generators, UXO clearance materials, and agriculture production.

Measurable indicators of implementation

• Material for the repair of water and sanitation networks, medical infrastructure and equipment for hospitals, generators, solar panels, spare parts and other items are rapidly approved allowing for procurement and dispatch.
• Equipment to enable the rehabilitation of 40 water wells.
• Solar panels for the rehabilitation of 10 Primary health centers is facilitated.
• A percentage increase in critical humanitarian item (CHI) requests processed through the 2720 Mechanism approved by COGAT with an increase in CHI requests approved and facilitated to enter within 30 days of submission.

9. Fuel, electricity and cooking gas. Sufficient quantities of fuel will be needed for hospitals, water and sanitation infrastructure, communications and humanitarian operations including frontline protection organizations working with children, women, older persons and person with disabilities and should be delivered throughout Gaza (North and South).

Measurable indicators of implementation

• At least 265,000 liters of diesel and 13,000 liters of benzene are approved for daily entry to Gaza. This  represents the assessed daily needs of the humanitarian clusters. The amount will fluctuate and fuel procurement/ deliveries to Gaza will be adjusted accordingly.
• Daily reporting of all fuel deliveries to Gaza, transfers within Gaza, and distributions to partners will continue, ensuring continued full transparency on the locations and use of all entering fuel supplies.
• To reduce the reliance on generators and fuel, electricity lines importing power that are still intact are immediately turned back on. Additionally, approval of the activation of at least 3 electrical feeder lines for water and sanitation infrastructure.
• To resume electricity generation and supply from the Gaza Power Plant (GPP), access and funding support are provided to enable the UN’s work on rehabilitating the GPP, electricity grid and substation.
• The entry of cooking gas for both the North and South.

10. Visas need to be issued. Dozens of UN INGO staffers have been waiting for months for their visas to support Gaza operations from Jerusalem. Additionally, an increasing amount of UN, INGO and medical staff are denied entry to Gaza. These visas need to be issued and approval to enter Gaza facilitated.

Measurable indicators of implementation

• Pending visas are facilitated and issued expeditiously for UN and INGO partners for sufficient period of time.
• UN and INGO staff are facilitated to enter Gaza.

If the above measures are agreed to and implemented, the following response from the UN will be feasible.

Section 3: Priority humanitarian intervention and measurable indicators of implementation

1. Food assistance. Scale up provision of food assistance across the whole of Gaza through provision of food-in-kind/food vouchers distributed directly to individuals/families, support to re-establishment of bakeries and establishing of kitchens for hot meal preparation and distribution, livelihoods support, and cash – digital payments. Children, pregnant women and older persons will be targeted for high-energy, nutrient- dense food items.

Measurable indicators of implementation

• Hundred trucks of food will be received and dispatched per day in Gaza, with no limitation in terms of crossing.
• Two trucks of inputs to produce fresh food (e.g. milk, meat, vegetables, etc.) will be dispatched per day in Gaza.
• Food will be dispatched according to where the population is located (for example, if X per cent of the population is in the middle area, then X per cent of the trucks received per day would reach the middle area).
• Commercial food traders will be able to re-establish trade to support fresh food entries into Gaza (i.e. fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy products, etc.).
• Safeguarding protection teams will be present in large scale distributions organized by sectors and clusters to ensure that assistance reaches the most vulnerable ones without causing harm.

2. Health services. Expand health service delivery while preparing for, increasing detection of, and res ponse to outbreak-prone communicable diseases, and strengthening health logistics. Generator spare parts and consumables have been overused for 18 months. Currently only 18 out of 36 hospitals are partially functioning in Gaza.

Measurable indicators of implementation

• Six hospitals, 2 field hospitals and 8 primary health care facilities will be resupplied, including medical  equipment such as incubators, oxygen plants, x-rays, spare parts for machines.
• Services in at least 6 hospitals, 2 field hospitals and 8 Primary health care centres will be resumed.
• At least 150 patients will be referred out of Gaza per week.
• At least 2 new Emergency Medical Teams will be deployed to agreed locations.
• Supplies for mental health intervention will enter Gaza.

3. Water, Sanitation and Hygiene. WASH services are currently reaching approximately 20 per cent of the population in need.

A one-month pause would allow for reach to expand to at least 80 per cent of the population by providing sufficient water for communities and 1.8 million IDPs; supplying WASH facilities with critical operations and maintenance materials, fuel, equipment and tools, chlorine and chemicals. Multisectoral response to hygiene, inclusive sanitation and solid waste management in IDP centers, institutions and communities, and public health and hygiene awareness.

Measurable indicators of implementation

• Access to WASH services will be increased from 20 per cent of the population to 80 per cent of the population.
• Hygiene and dignity kits will be delivered for women and children.

4. Nutrition. Initial screening of children under five years old has identified rates of malnutrition not previously experienced in Gaza. A Gaza-specific emergency protocol is being developed for prevention and treatment of acute malnutrition through increased screening and provision of preventative and curative supplies for pregnant and lactating women and children under five years old. This will include the establishment of stabilization centers and training for partners in MUAC screening and preventative activities for early identification of acute malnutrition cases. 
With predicable access and the ability to rapidly scale up partner capacity, nearly 98 per cent of the target population can be reached within the one-month period.

Measurable indicators of implementation

• At least two stabilization centers will be established to provide treatment, nutrition screening, and training. Increased coverage of nutrition products reaching children under 5, and pregnant or lactating women through assistance distribution systems.
• A SMART Survey will be implemented.

5. Shelter. Provide emergency shelter and basic household items to displaced populations, extending coverage into the north and middle areas. Assistance will consist of tents that meet specific quality standards; sealing off kits to consolidate or improve makeshift shelters or weatherproof homes, and NFIs - vital bedding, kitchen items and winter clothing. Pending requisite supplies, the aim is to reach 200,000 people, prioritizing those in self- settled areas.

Measurable indicators of implementation

• Tents and/or other shelter materials will be distributed to at least 200,000 people