According to UNICEF, 1.6 million injections and solar-powered refrigerators for vaccine storage have been waiting for months to clear customs.
“Both injections and refrigerators are considered dual-use items by Israel, and it is very difficult for us to get through customs and inspections,” UNICEF spokesman Ricardo Pires said.
The term “dual use” refers to objects that, according to Israeli assessments, can have military and civilian applications, reports Hina.
Israel’s military arm COGAT, which oversees the flow of aid to Gaza, said Israel was particularly careful to ensure that Hamas did not use the aid to bolster its military. They added that they are offering international organizations “alternative solutions” for the entry of aid, but did not give details.
On Sunday, UNICEF launched the first of three rounds of vaccination campaigns to reach more than 40,000 children under the age of three who have missed regular vaccinations against polio, measles and pneumonia because of the war.
Despite the ceasefire that took effect on October 10, UNICEF says Israeli authorities are still denying the entry of key items, including 938,000 bottles of ready-to-use infant formula and spare parts for water tankers.
“That’s almost a million bottles that could reach children suffering from varying degrees of malnutrition,” Pires said.
The 10-day truce was supposed to allow humanitarian aid to arrive more massively throughout Gaza, but agencies warn that the aid is not coming in sufficient quantity.
The enclave’s population, mostly displaced and malnourished, continues to depend on limited aid convoys, while basic supplies, including vaccines and food for children, remain blocked at the border.
(Vijesti.ba)
