Israeli authorities have rejected 94 percent of aid delivery requests from international relief organisations during the first two weeks of the current ceasefire, leaving €43m worth of critical supplies stranded at border crossings, according to 41 humanitarian groups working in Gaza.
Between 10 and 21 October, Israel denied 99 requests from international NGOs and six from UN agencies, preventing the delivery of medicine, food, water, and winter supplies despite ceasefire terms requiring humanitarian access.
The groups affected include Action Against Hunger, Oxfam, the German Welthungerhilfe, Finn Church Aid and the Médecins Sans Frontières.
The blockages have prevented aid from reaching Gaza even from outfits that have operated in the territory for years and are registered with Israeli authorities.
The 41 organisations are urging the Israeli government to uphold its ceasefire commitments and obligations under international law by allowing unimpeded humanitarian aid delivery. None of the blocked items should be restricted under the current ceasefire terms.
The NGOs warn of the approaching winter and emphasised the urgency of delivering aid to people living in shelters without insulation or heating.
The organisations attribute the high rejection rate to a new coordination system Israeli officials implemented in March.
That system has already drawn criticism from a group of EU foreign ministers and the bloc's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, who raised concerns about humanitarian-access restrictions.
The restrictions require charities to submit details of private donors, complete Palestinian staff lists and other sensitive information about personnel and their families to Israeli authorities.
A statement issued by Oxfam said: "Supplies are packaged, staff are equipped and ready to respond at scale. What we need now is access. Israeli authorities must uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law and the terms of the ceasefire agreement.“
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Hannah Kriwak is a junior reporter from Austria at EUobserver, covering European politics.
Hannah Kriwak is a junior reporter from Austria at EUobserver, covering European politics.