U.N. says Rafah not yet reopened and presses for expanded corridors, including Jordan, to scale Gaza aid
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Summary
The U.N. told reporters Rafah 'has not been reopened' and said it is negotiating expanded aid corridors — including the Jordan Corridor — with Israeli and other partners; the U.N. also reported nearly 13,000 children vaccinated in an immunization campaign in Gaza so far.
An unidentified U.N. spokesperson (Speaker 1) said the Rafah crossing "has not been reopened" as far as the U.N. knows, and said the organization would like to see Rafah open to cargo — both humanitarian and private sector shipments — to help revive Gaza’s economy and scale aid deliveries.
During Q&A, reporters referenced a statement by the Israeli ambassador to the Security Council that Israel does not limit U.N. assistance and had invited agencies to increase daily deliveries. The spokesperson said some openings have been announced but the U.N. has not been able to "work to scale" because of insecurity on the ground, customs and clearance issues and other bureaucratic hurdles.
A questioner noted a deputy official’s remark that only "9% of processed aid" had entered Gaza and asked whether the Jordan Corridor was being negotiated with Israel. The U.N. spokesperson said the Jordan Corridor is a humanitarian lifeline and that discussions with Israeli and other partners are ongoing; no concrete timeline or operational commitments were provided.
The spokesperson also cited OCHA reporting that an immunization campaign in Gaza has vaccinated nearly 13,000 children against a target of 18,000, and that shelter partners have reached more than 4,000 families with tents, tarpaulins, mattresses and blankets while emphasizing the need for sustainable shelter repairs.
Next steps: the U.N. said it will continue diplomatic and operational talks to expand corridor options and increase the scale of humanitarian deliveries; no date was given for when Rafah would be open to cargo.
