The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa) reports that Israeli forces are preventing crucial humanitarian missions from reaching northern Gaza, with hospitals suffering from severe shortages of power and supplies, as civilian casualties rise amidst ongoing military actions.
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens as Access to Northern Gaza Remains Blocked
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens as Access to Northern Gaza Remains Blocked
UN agency warns of dire conditions as Israel continues to restrict humanitarian aid efforts to northern Gaza amid increasing military offensives.
The humanitarian situation in northern Gaza has reached alarming levels as the head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (Unrwa), Philippe Lazzarini, reported that Israel continues to obstruct humanitarian missions. Civilians are enduring desperate conditions, fleeing from the ongoing violence primarily centered around the Jabalia refugee camp.
Lazzarini highlighted on social media that hospitals are being bombarded, leaving many injured without essential care and facilities lacking power. His report revealed a severe lack of shelter for displaced individuals, some of whom have had to resort to living in restrooms due to overcrowding in remaining shelters. Despite claims from Israeli military forces that they are facilitating civilian evacuations, medics have reported troops encircling hospitals and shelters, exacerbating the crisis for those in need.
Incidents of violence against civilians have escalated, with reports indicating that at least ten people were killed due to Israeli artillery fire that struck a school housing displaced individuals in Jabalia on Monday. Graphic content shared by local sources showed distressing images of casualties, including children. The Israeli military has commenced an investigation into the claims following public outcry.
In a contrasting statement, the military body responsible for Gaza's crossings, Cogat, claimed that aid efforts were underway, listing 41 aid trucks and six fuel tankers that had recently entered the region. They noted that UNICEF managed to deliver polio vaccines amidst allegations of a lack of sufficient aid, which the UN stated had been almost entirely obstructed throughout the initial weeks of October.
The United Nations has been pressured to improve humanitarian access as the situation in northern Gaza continued to deteriorate. Over the weekend, they expressed urgent requests for entry into the areas severely impacted by violence. Local residents have appealed for aid in terrifying circumstances, including one man who described efforts to rescue trapped family members, with many still buried alive under rubble.
Stephanie Eller from the International Committee of the Red Cross painted a stark picture of the suffering faced by nearly 400,000 residents in northern Gaza, emphasizing the urgent need for food, medical care, and a halt to ongoing conflict. This status was echoed by health officials from the Indonesian Hospital, highlighting shortages of water and food while remaining reliant on military consent to use generators for electricity.
The relentless conflict stems from Israel's campaign against Hamas following a large-scale attack that left approximately 1,200 dead in Israel on October 7, and since then, the death toll in Gaza has soared to over 42,000. The affected communities are in dire need of international support and immediate humanitarian access to alleviate the suffering and begin reconstruction efforts.
