UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Israeli authorities have authorized hundreds of trucks to roll assistance into the Gaza Strip, a UN spokesman said Thursday.

The United Nations has secured clearance from the Israeli authorities for 170,000 metric tonnes of food, health and nutrition supplies, as well as shelter items and other critical aid, said Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

"These supplies are currently in the region -- mainly in Israel, also in the West Bank, in Jordan, Egypt and Cyprus," he said, adding that unimpeded access to the strip was being sought, and that meant the opening of all crossings into Gaza.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the humanitarian community's initial response plan for the first 60 days of the ceasefire prioritizes restoring hundreds of community-based and household-level distribution and services, a proven way to reach the most vulnerable.

OCHA said that its partners are set to increase support for local food production, malnutrition screening and treatment, the restoration of essential health services, repair of the decimated water grid, and a massive surge in emergency shelter provision.

During a video briefing to reporters from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher said "we must seize this moment with collective will, with determination, and with generosity," adding that "there must be no backsliding on the agreements that have been made."

The under-secretary-general said that in the first 60 days of the ceasefire, humanitarians aim to increase the pipeline of supplies to hundreds of trucks every day. The provision of food aid will include 500,000 people in need of nutrition.

"Famine must be reverted in areas where it has taken hold and prevented in others," he said, adding that they will be distributing in-kind rations, supporting bakeries and community kitchens, and providing cash for 200,000 families, to cover basic food needs.

"On water and sanitation, we're targeting 1.4 million people with water and sanitation services," he said. "We will help to restore the water grid -- so to (reduce) people's reliance on water trucking." Enditem