A Top NGO Official Explains the Difficult Dynamics of Getting Aid into Gaza and Syria

Tjada D'Oyen McKenna is a veteran humanitarian official who now leads Mercy Corps, a major international NGO that provides relief in disaster zones, including Gaza and Syria. Since the outbreak of the conflict in Gaza in October 2023, I have periodically checked in with her to discuss the challenges of meeting the needs of Gazans trapped and displaced by the conflict. Over a year later, the dynamics of getting aid into Gaza have largely remained unchanged—there are still significant bureaucratic obstacles imposed by the Israeli government, which controls the flow of aid. Moreover, there is no meaningful so-called "de-confliction mechanism" to allow aid groups to operate in Gaza without fear of being attacked by warring parties. Meanwhile, the situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, even as new signals suggest a ceasefire may soon be reached.

In Syria, the situation has obviously changed dramatically over the past several weeks, so we discuss how Mercy Corps plans to expand its aid operations as the new de facto authorities consolidate power in Damascus.

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