Israel says plenty of food in Gaza, UN calls assertion 'ridiculous'

The United Nations on Tuesday dismissed as "ridiculous" an assertion by Israel that there was enough food in the Gaza Strip to last for a long period of time, despite the closure of all 25 bakeries in the enclave supported by the World Food Programme. 

No aid has been delivered to the Palestinian enclave since 2 March. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office has said it would not allow the entry of all goods and supplies into Gaza until Hamas releases all remaining hostages.

Then, later, on 18 March, Israel resumed its bombardment of Gaza after a two-month truce and sent troops back into the enclave.

Cogat, the Israeli military agency that coordinates aid deliveries, said on Tuesday that during the truce, some 25,200 trucks entered Gaza, carrying almost 450,000 tons of aid. 

"That's nearly a third of the total trucks that entered Gaza during the entire war, in just over a month," Cogat said in a post on X. "There is enough food for a long period of time, if Hamas lets the civilians have it."

When asked about the statement, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters: "As far as the UN is concerned, that's ridiculous ... we are at the tail end of our supplies."

- Reporting by Reuters