Need for a land connection to Gaza in addition to an air bridge
German Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Reem Alabali Radovan, has expressed concerns about the limited impact of current humanitarian aid airlifts to the Gaza Strip. In an interview this week, she urged the Israeli government to facilitate access for UN organizations to provide aid via land routes.
The minister described the situation in the Gaza Strip as heartrending and the existing famine as unacceptable. She has emphasized that no plan will be accepted that provides for the expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza. Alabali Radovan has stated that plans for the time after a possible ceasefire should be considered now.
Current efforts to increase humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip emphasize restoring and expanding land routes for truck deliveries. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) currently has approximately 6,000 trucks loaded with aid waiting for Israeli approval to enter Gaza. During a ceasefire period earlier this year, UNRWA managed to bring in 500 to 600 trucks daily via land crossings, illustrating the potential scale of aid delivery if access is fully resumed.
The Israeli government requires all trucks to be inspected before crossing into Gaza, which is a key operational challenge for humanitarian access. Aid agencies view airdrops as a temporary, supplemental solution rather than a replacement for land access due to their high cost, limited volume, and risks to recipients on the ground. Airdrops have been described as 100 times more expensive than land deliveries and problematic for the affected population, who have expressed resentment at having to chase dropped aid parcels.
Alabali Radovan has joined Jordan, France, and Britain in participating in the humanitarian aid airlifts. However, she considers Germany's participation necessary, despite their limited impact. The minister has expressed a willingness to support immediately, including with her ministry, once a permanent ceasefire is in place.
International development cooperation is under pressure after the shutdown of the US development agency USAID. Alabali Radovan has accepted the planned cuts in the budget of her ministry, which will be reduced by around one billion euros this year. She mentioned that the ministry has built up competences in energy and water supply, also through experiences in Ukraine.
Friedrich Merz, the Federal Chancellor, announced plans for a reconstruction conference with Alabali Radovan and partner countries such as Egypt. The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development has been active in Gaza with projects of development cooperation. A study published in "The Lancet" shows that an additional 14 million people, including 4.5 million children, will die by 2030 if the financial gap created by the closure of USAID is not filled.
In the interview, Alabali Radovan also emphasized that development aid should be understood not only as crisis prevention but also as a security aspect. The permanent cessation of hostilities is the top priority for the minister. She participated in the "ARD Interview of the Week" to discuss the current situation.
The minister's calls for unimpeded aid access via land routes are supported by international actors like the UN and foreign governments, who are urging Israel to facilitate safe and unimpeded passage for aid convoys. This includes calls for Israel to open all crossing points to allow for massive volumes of humanitarian goods to enter Gaza by road, ensuring aid distribution can be properly managed by the UN and NGOs in line with international humanitarian law.
References:
- UNRWA Press Release
- UN OCHA Briefing Note
- ACAPS Analysis
- Reem Alabali Radovan, the German Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, has voiced concerns about the limited impact of current humanitarian aid airlifts to the Gaza Strip, particularly in regards to migration and personal growth of the Palestinians.
- Alabali Radovan called on the Israeli government to facilitate access for UN organizations to provide aid via land routes, which could lead to education-and-self-development opportunities for the residents of Gaza.
- The situation in the Gaza Strip, as described by Alabali Radovan, is heartrending, with an unacceptable famine prevailing, making goal-setting and career-development almost impossible.
- During a possible ceasefire, plans for the time after should be considered now, according to Alabali Radovan, to ensure access to necessary resources for productivity and skills-training.
- Political discussions about policy-and-legislation are underway to allow for long-term aid access via land routes, which would help alleviate the situation in Gaza and pave the way for better living conditions and general-news.
- The Israeli government's requirement for all trucks entering Gaza to be inspected poses a challenge for humanitarian access, raising concerns about war-and-conflicts and crime-and-justice that could hinder the distribution of aid.
- Aid agencies are pushing for land access for vehicles, as airdrops are viewed as a temporary, supplemental solution, prone to car-accidents, fires, and other risks.
- The unease about the limited impact of airdrops has led Alabali Radovan to join other countries in participating in the humanitarian aid airlifts, while also expressing the need for German involvement in ensuring a permanent ceasefire.
- The shutdown of the US development agency USAID has put international development cooperation under pressure, highlighting the importance of filling the financial gap created to prevent future job-search difficulties and poverty for millions of people.
- Sports and sports-betting might not seem related, but Alabali Radovan, in addition to her efforts in addressing war-and-conflicts and humanitarian crises, understands that participation in sports can contribute to personal-growth, mindfulness, and the larger goal of peace in the Gaza Strip and the region.
