Danish outlet Arbejderen reports that a shortage of working trucks and drivers inside Gaza is holding up the distribution of aid, even as more supplies enter the territory.
The Copenhagen-based newspaper Arbejderen published its account on July 27, 2026. It described a transport system inside the Gaza Strip that cannot move goods, alongside continued siege conditions and renewed political and military tensions.
The National reported on August 21, 2026, that aid volumes entering Gaza have risen in recent weeks. The outlet said the absence of engine oil has forced many of the last functioning lorries out of service, leaving cargo held at warehouses and staging areas.
Figures from Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, published by Countercurrents on August 9, 2026, put the pre-war fleet at about 1,200 trucks. The monitor said only around 400 remain, of which roughly 100 are out of service, leaving about 300 operational trucks. It attributed this to restrictions on spare parts, tires, oils and batteries.
The same report said Israeli attacks have damaged or destroyed more than 150 trucks on roads leading toward the Kerem Shalom crossing. According to Euro-Med, more than 20 drivers have been killed and 15 arrested, some held for up to two years.
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United Nations logistics documents describe similar bottlenecks. The Logistics Cluster states that Kerem Shalom, also known as Karem Abu Salem, is the only authorized entry point for cargo. Its Gaza coordination minutes record 1,610 trucks manifested between July 1 and July 19, 2026, with 13 percent unable to offload.
The minutes also note that “Room 2” at the main cargo platform remains closed, cutting capacity by 10,000 square meters. OCHA reported on July 17, 2026, that engine oil shortages were creating operational challenges for aid partners whose kitchens and distribution points lie far apart.
The World Food Programme, cited by UN News on July 13, 2026, said supplies bound for northern Gaza must travel damaged and congested roads. Security rules limit which routes may be used and which local drivers receive approval for convoys.
Why now
The Logistics Cluster’s July 2026 corridor update says congestion intensified from July 4, 2026, once all humanitarian operations were concentrated on the single authorized route to Kerem Shalom. It adds that a scanner malfunction on the Jordan route in mid-July further disrupted operations and created cargo backlogs.
Estimates differ between sources. Euro-Med counts total fleet size, while the Logistics Cluster records manifested and offloaded trucks over set date ranges. Detailed figures for the number of active drivers inside Gaza have not been published by UN agencies.
