UN says Gaza is dangerously short of supplies because of the Israeli blockade [AFP]
UN says Gaza is dangerously short of supplies because of the Israeli blockade [AFP]
However, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) warned that temporarily lifting the blockade imposed by Israel on the Palestinian territory would not allow enough supplies into Gaza.
Israel has briefly opened three border crossings with Hamas-controlled Gaza, allowing some essential food and fuel into the territory for the second time in three weeks.
"It is just not enough," Christopher Gunness, a UNRWA spokesman said, estimating that Gazans need at least 15 lorries worth of UN supplies daily to get by.
Around 45 lorries of goods were allowed through the Kerem Shalom crossing on Monday, including 10 United Nations vehicles carrying food and medical supplies.
Around 15 truckloads of supplies were allowed through the Karni crossing with an unspecified number also passing via the Nahal Ouz crossing.
Sherine Tadros, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Gaza, said supplies of European Union-funded fuel destined for Gaza's only power plant would only last a few days - raising fears that hospitals and other key insitutions will continue to be hit by power cuts and blackouts.
Temporary respite
"This is, perhaps, a bit of respite for Palestinians but there is no security in the coming week ahead that they will have enough power to keep businesses going," she said.
"The cycle is continuing whereby Israel drips in supplies but a few days later [Gazans] are back at the same point where they are running out of supplies... there's no security because they have no idea of when the crossing will be open again."
Israel's decision to temporarily open the crossings comes just one day after doctors at Gaza's biggest hospital said they had been forced to rely on a faulty generator to operate life-saving equipment.
Hassan Khalaf, director of Shifa hospital, said lives were being put a risk and that the intensive care unit could be rendered useless.
Israel closed all of its crossings with Gaza on November 5 in response to rocket attacks launched by Palestinian fighters within the Strip.
The Israelis have repeatedly said that they will not lift the blockade on Gaza until the rocket attacks end.
A Palestinian official said the Israelis agreed to temporarily lift the blockade after Egyptian mediators intervened, asking Israel to let in essential humanitarian supplies while calling on Palestinian fighters to simultaneously stop rocket fire.
Both sides blame each other for breaching a fragile five-month old ceasefire, also brokered by the Egyptians.
However, both say they want the truce, that is due to expire in December, to hold.
Although Israel briefly lifted its blockade of crossings in the Gaza Strip today, United Nations (UN) officials warn that a further blockade could lead to dire consequences for some 750,000 Gazans who rely on UN food aid. Israel blockaded the Gaza Strip in early November, preventing access for UN aid workers and journalists.

The border crossing was opened to allow some food aid and medical supplies through, however, United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) spokesman Christopher Gunness warned that "it is just not enough."
Map showing location of the Gaza Strip
The UNRWA also warns that Gaza faces "a humanitarian catastrophe."  Karen Abu Zayd, commissioner general of UNRWA, said the death toll since the beginning of the Israeli blockade is the gravest since the early days of the Palestinian intifada eight years ago. The Israeli blockade has shut down power for the Gaza Strip, and patients at local hospitals are in grave risk of death because of faulty generators.

"Almost every part of the intensive care unit runs on electricity which comes from Gaza's main power plant ... that plant is run on fuel from Israel, but no supplies have reached the plant for well over a week now," said Al Jazeera's correspondent in Gaza.

Israel closed the Gaza Strip on November 5 because of rocket fire emanating from the area after the Israeli army units entered and carried out an operation against members of the Hamas combat wing. Currently all foreign journalists are banned from entering Gaza. AP, Reuters, the New York Times, the BBC, CNN and other major news organizations have protested the blockade.