FILE.- Trucks line up at the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip after Israel blocked the entry of aid trucks into Gaza. AP
An Associated Press photographer has seen at least three trucks loaded with humanitarian aid on the Israeli side of a crossing with Gaza. The trucks were parked just outside the Karm Abu Salem crossing.
There was no immediate comment from Israeli authorities. The UN official was not authorized to brief reporters and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Earlier on Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will allow a limited amount of humanitarian aid into Gaza, noting that it was necessary to prevent a famine in Gaza for "diplomatic reasons".
A U.S.-backed group expected to run aid distribution in Gaza said Israel's announcement was an “important first step.”
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has said its four aid distribution sites would be up and running before the end of the month. It was not clear when the aid would resume.
The group’s head Jake Wood called late on Sunday on international aid groups to join in the new distribution mechanism.
But international aid groups say the mechanism is not practical and won't reach the most vulnerable Palestinians. They also say they won’t participate because it doesn’t align with their humanitarian principles.
Israel in early March cut off all food, medicine and other supplies to Gaza of over 2 million people.
In a report this month, the UN- and NGO-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification said Gaza was at "critical risk of famine", with 22 percent of the population facing an imminent humanitarian "catastrophe".
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