We speak to Alexia Guillaume, an Associate Humanitarian Affairs Officer with the?Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), who deployed to Al-Arish city, a logistical hub for the humanitarian aid crossing into Gaza through the Egypt corridor. ??
What is the process of humanitarian aid reaching Egypt and entering Gaza? ?
The Egyptian Red Crescent Society (ERCS) has been coordinating the delivery of humanitarian aid from Al-Arish into Gaza via the Egyptian border crossing of Rafah and through Kerem Shalom since October 2023.?
Humanitarian supplies sent through the Egyptian corridor are either procured locally or internationally through Egypt¡¯s sea and airports before being brought to Al-Arish. From there, they are screened and dispatched into Gaza from ERCS¡¯ logistical hub.?
Israeli authorities require to be notified of all humanitarian supplies through a manifest prepared by the ERCS and communicated to the Israeli Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories?for approval the day before. ?
On the day aid is expected to cross the border, it undergoes multiple inspections on both Egyptian and Israeli sides before it can be dispatched to people in Gaza.?
What is your role? ?
I facilitate the work of the Gaza Humanitarian Support Team, which includes UN humanitarian technical experts. We work together to support ERCS and streamline the delivery of humanitarian assistance, in coordination with the Egyptian authorities.?
I also oversee the coordination of UN/INGO supplies dispatched to Gaza, in collaboration with the Logistics Cluster and in consultation with OCHA colleagues in Gaza.?
I support advocacy efforts, particularly by briefing high-level delegations from Member States and senior officials visiting Al-Arish. ?
Our objective is to increase awareness of humanitarian needs and challenges, build trust in the multilateral system and ensure a regular flow of information for a more effective response.?
What are the challenges you are facing?? ?
Once loaded, the trucks go through a complex process of multiple inspections, screenings, and repeated transshipments, which can be unpredictable and cause delays. ?
Any delay means that thousands of people, who literally depend on this aid, won¡¯t get the help they need. It is a huge responsibility for all of us, and so disempowering when there is nothing we can do to overcome logistics obstacles.?
When trucks can¡¯t move from Al-Arish, awaiting crossing at Kerem Shalom, protecting supplies from looting and weather conditions is a real challenge.?
Aid entry into Gaza from the Egyptian route has been heavily affected since the start of a ground offensive in Rafah in early May. ?
This is particularly concerning given the ever-increasing needs in Gaza that exceed any other crisis globally, and this is why maintaining flexibility and adaptability in our strategies is crucial, as the context and needs on the ground are constantly evolving.?
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