Israel has announced that it will allow only half of the previously agreed number of aid trucks into Gaza starting Wednesday, according to a note seen by Reuters and confirmed by the United Nations.
The move, which reduces the daily entry from 600 to 300 trucks, has dealt a blow to hopes that humanitarian assistance would be rapidly increased to ease worsening famine in the enclave.
The Israeli military arm overseeing aid flows, COGAT, also informed the U.N. that no fuel or gas will be permitted into Gaza, except for limited use tied to humanitarian infrastructure. COGAT attributed the decision to Hamas’ alleged violation of an agreement regarding the release of hostage bodies.
“Hamas violated the agreement regarding the release of the bodies of the hostages held in the Gaza Strip,” the note read. “As a result, the political leadership has decided to impose sanctions related to the humanitarian agreement that was reached.”
Hamas has handed over four coffins containing the remains of Israeli hostages, while at least 23 others are presumed dead and one remains unaccounted for. The militant group told mediators it would transfer four more bodies to Israel later on Tuesday.
Olga Cherevko, spokesperson for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Gaza, confirmed the development. “We very much hope that the bodies of the hostages are handed over and that the ceasefire continues to be implemented,” she said.
COGAT previously said it anticipated around 600 aid trucks daily during the ceasefire. On Sunday, 817 trucks reportedly entered Gaza, but the number dropped sharply as crossings were closed from the Israeli side on Tuesday.
Deputy U.N. spokesperson Farhan Haq said that while supplies could not enter from Israel, aid agencies were distributing what was already available inside Gaza.
Aid Agencies Urge Israel to Reopen Crossings
Humanitarian organisations have called on Israel to open all crossings, including Rafah on the Egyptian border, which remains closed.
“We need all crossings open. The longer Rafah stays closed, the more the suffering prolongs for people in Gaza, especially those displaced in the South,” UNICEF spokesperson Ricardo Pires said.
U.S. President Donald Trump recently declared an end to the Israel-Hamas conflict after the final exchange of hostages and prisoners, raising hopes that aid delivery would accelerate. However, aid groups say access remains limited.
Christian Cardon, spokesperson for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), said: “We are still witnessing only a few trucks coming in, and large crowds approaching these trucks in a way that does not conform to humanitarian standards.”
The U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) said it had brought in 137 trucks since the weekend but warned that hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza City had not received aid for weeks. UNICEF reported delivering family tents, tarpaulins, winter clothes, and hygiene kits but emphasised that needs remain immense.
Nearly 50 international aid organisations, including Oxfam, CARE, and the Norwegian Refugee Council, have yet to receive clearance to deliver supplies.
“The needs of a population that has experienced famine for months cannot be met with a few trucks,” said Oxfam policy adviser Bushra Khalidi.
The U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) announced a temporary suspension of its operations after dismantling one of its four aid sites. The U.N. had earlier refused to partner with the GHF, questioning its neutrality and accusing its aid distribution model of contributing to displacement.
The U.N. human rights office said in July that more than 600 people seeking aid had died near GHF and U.N. aid convoys. Data also showed widespread looting of aid trucks by desperate civilians and armed groups.
Humanitarian agencies warn that the latest Israeli restrictions risk worsening Gaza’s already dire situation, where hunger, displacement, and infrastructure collapse continue to endanger millions.
