The UN and Israel are at odds over the reason for the decline in aid deliveries: "International community spreading false narratives"

The number of people entering Gaza decreased in October, especially in the northern part where a military operation against Hamas is taking place. The United Nations and Israel are increasingly accusing each other of the causes and scope of the issue.

On Oct. 27, Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, declared that Israeli authorities were denying repeated attempts to deliver humanitarian supplies.

Brig. Gen. Elad Goren, head of COGAT, stated that the accusation is a "100% pure, complete lie." Goren added that "there will be a time when people will write books about what has happened during this war, not just in the battlefield, but also the fight over narratives, the false narratives by the international community."

Goren highlighted the absence of "logistical capacity, manpower, resources," and overall commitment in the U.N. effort. He questioned why the U.N. only brought 69 personnel and 40 trucks to distribute aid if this is the most important humanitarian logistical operation. Goren stated that the U.N. does not want to be excellent in their job because they believe that if they do, it will ease pressure on Israel.

Data from COGAT shows that the number of aid trucks waiting to be collected at the Kerem Shalom crossing increased from 450 on October 1st to 700 on October 30th. COGAT provided exclusive footage of the overcrowded Kerem Shalom loading area to Planet Chronicle Digital.

Goren stated that COGAT collaborated with the U.N. multiple times to address obstacles hindering aid deliveries, including looters attacking humanitarian convoys. COGAT suggested alternative routes to bypass looters, proposed allowing Palestinian trucks to travel on defense roads from the Israeli side of the security fence, and escorted trucks along their routes.

Dujarric rejected COGAT's assertions that they provide alternative routes for trucks. He stated that with pre-approved supplies only able to transit through three border crossings - Kerem Shalom, Gate 96 and Erez West - as of November, "our humanitarian colleagues…access these border areas by highly dangerous routes, exposed to hostilities, with many alternative roads being banned by the Israeli authorities. The routes available are often in poor condition and prone to armed looting resulting," Dujarric continued. "Commercial supplies are virtually banned."

Dujarric stated that placing supplies at barely accessible entry points does not facilitate humanitarian efforts. Instead, supplies and services must reach the people who need them in sufficient quantities to be considered facilitated.

Dujarric stated that there are 80 international staff, 13,000 national staff employed with UNRWA, and 208 national staff employed by other U.N. agencies who are working in the most dangerous conditions to provide life-saving assistance for the over two million people of Gaza. He added that accusing them and their national colleagues of lacking motivation is an insult.

Dujarric pointed out additional issues, such as humanitarian workers being detained at Israeli checkpoints for extended periods, being targeted with gunfire, and facing harassment and danger. Out of the 351 truck drivers submitted to COGAT for clearance, only 35 were approved.

The IDF spokesperson responded to Dujarric's claims by stating that the IDF takes all feasible measures to minimize harm to civilians, including aid convoys and workers, and has never targeted them intentionally. The IDF is also working with international aid organizations to update driver lists and expedite approvals, subject to strict security checks.

The IDF denied Dujarric's claims about Kerem Shalom, stating that Israel has made efforts to enhance accessibility at the crossings. This includes expanding roads, providing additional logistical equipment, and allowing daily tactical pauses to facilitate the transfer of aid.

Last week, Israeli officials announced that they will soon add a new humanitarian aid crossing in Kissufim to facilitate more deliveries to the southern portion of the Gaza Strip.

On November 1, Reuters reported that the situation in northern Gaza was "apocalyptic," with all Gazans "at imminent risk of dying from disease, famine, and violence." On November 8, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Famine Review Committee issued a similar warning, stating that there was "a strong likelihood that famine is imminent" in parts of northern Gaza.

David Adesnik, a senior fellow and director of research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, has monitored dire warnings of famine in Gaza during the conflict. He discussed with Planet Chronicle Digital how previous predictions of doom did not occur, mainly due to COGAT's efforts to alleviate hunger.

The IPC has "aggressively downplayed the good news" of the "long term trend" of lowering the number of Gazans in the worst phases of hunger. In December 2023, the IPC found that 17% of Gazans faced catastrophic phase-five hunger conditions. By March, 30% of the population had reached phase five, with onlookers predicting famine was imminent. The next report found that just 15% of Gazans were in phase five. The most recent IPC snapshot from October shows that just 6% of Gazans are in phase five, though the IPC warns that this number is "expected to nearly triple in the coming months." The IPC has declared that the "risk of famine persists."

The U.N. is trying to hide the progress made in food security in Gaza due to increased aid, according to Adesnik. Despite a decline of 80% in the number of Gaza residents facing severe deprivation between March and October, the new U.N. FAO-WFP report does not mention this improvement.

An analysis by Professor Aron Troen of the Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment at Hebrew University in Jerusalem revealed that the quantity and nutritional composition of food delivered to Gazan civilians through humanitarian aid efforts exceeded an internationally-recognized benchmark for humanitarian response in May.

According to Troen, his team recently updated their data and discovered that aid entering Gaza was sufficient until September. Troen stated that COGAT is performing admirably under challenging circumstances, but there is still significant suffering in Gaza.

Over 1,115,000 tons of aid have entered Gaza through COGAT's online portal since the war started in October.

Goren revealed that aid quantities were low in October due to the High Holidays, memorials for the Oct. 7 anniversary, and the closing of the two Erez aid crossings for two weeks while troops moved into northern Gaza to battle "the heart of Hamas." Despite media speculation that the "General's plan" to evacuate northern Gaza and cut off aid was the cause, Goren stated that the plan has never been discussed in the army. He emphasized that "we are not in a war against civilians, but against Hamas."

During the war, COGAT stopped private sector aid in October because Goren believed Hamas was using it to collect taxes and steal aid. He stated that Hamas was "trying to take advantage and use the private sector" for this purpose. Goren explained that they closed it to prevent Hamas from gaining power through humanitarian assistance.

On Oct. 16, 2023, Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that if Hamas blocks humanitarian assistance from reaching civilians, including by seizing the aid itself, the US will condemn it and work to prevent it from happening again. Two days later, President Biden emphasized that if Hamas diverts or steals the assistance, they will have demonstrated once again that they have no concern for the welfare of the Palestinian people and it will end.

The State Department did not respond when Planet Chronicle Digital inquired about Blinken's stance on Hamas' aid theft and taxation.

Adesnik stated to Planet Chronicle Digital that the administration has intensified criticism of Israel since at least November or December, with only a few exceptions, while still providing the necessary weapons to Israel. According to Adesnik, neither side believes the U.S. is taking a principled middle ground.

Last month, American officials' frustration with Israel reached its peak, as evidenced by a leaked letter from Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to Israeli officials on Oct. 13. In the letter, U.S. officials warned that they will need to reassess whether to allocate foreign military funds to Israel. They provided a list of improvements they expect to see before Nov. 13, including enabling the delivery of 350 truckloads of aid each day, a benchmark not yet achieved.

According to Matthew Miller, the Department of State spokesperson, as of Nov. 4, the U.S. had not completed its evaluation, but the situation had not improved enough in the past 21 or 22 days since the letter was sent.

According to the Times of Israel, Israel believes that the U.S. intends to "go all the way" in pressing Israel on the issue of aid after Austin conveyed a "sharp" message to his Israeli counterpart last Friday.