The cease-fire that came into force today in the Gaza Strip has allowed the UN to “increase” the transfer of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian enclave. In total, 137 trucks have already delivered their cargo to the reception point run by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNRWA/OCHA), which welcomes the operation, according to a statement.

The delivery is “the largest humanitarian aid convoy” since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas on October 7, OCHA added. It states that 129,000 liters of fuel also crossed the border into the Gaza Strip and that 21 critically ill patients were evacuated from the northern part of the Palestinian enclave.

“Hundreds of thousands of people were helped with food, water, medical supplies and other essentials,” he adds.

The UN agency promises to work to “continue to scale up humanitarian operations in the coming days to meet the needs of the people of all of Gaza.”

For weeks, the UN, non-governmental organizations and many foreign governments have been calling for a cessation of hostilities or a ceasefire, mainly to bring emergency aid to the population of the Gaza Strip struggling to survive in conditions of humanitarian disaster.

The UN also welcomed in a statement today’s release of 24 hostages and “reiterates its call for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages”.