GENEVA: Spokesperson for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Jens Laerke, announced that the United Nations has received authorization from the Israeli entity to allow the entry of approximately 100 additional aid trucks into the Gaza Strip today.

According to Qatar News Agency, Laerke addressed a press conference in Geneva, stating that the UN had requested Israeli approval for the ingress of trucks today, which was secured, affirming that the number of trucks exceeds what had been agreed on Monday. The next step is to receive these trucks and distribute them based on the current system. The trucks are laden with food and nutritional items for children and babies, Laerke highlighted.

Speaking at the same press conference, Director of Health at the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Dr. Akihiro Seita, noted that malnutrition rates in Gaza have surged since the start of the Israeli blockade. These rates could dramatically increase if the situation of food deficiency continues, and the data available through the end of April show a clear upsurge in malnutrition, Dr. Seita confirmed.

Consequently, he said, the major concern is that if the current food deficiency persisted, malnutrition would steadily worsen and ultimately spiral out of control.