UN Accuses Israel of Restricting Humanitarian Aid in Northern Gaza
UN reports significant barriers to aid amidst intense conflict; warns of severe repercussions amid potential UNRWA ban.
The United Nations has voiced grave concerns over the significant restrictions imposed by Israeli authorities on humanitarian aid efforts in Gaza, highlighting the dire situation faced by civilians amidst ongoing violence.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric revealed these concerns during a press briefing in Hamilton, Canada.
Dujarric, representing the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), stressed that civilians in Gaza are suffering from "horrific levels of violence" as hostilities persist across the region.
Between December 22 and January 4, the UN and its partners managed to deliver aid to over 2,000 families in southern and central Gaza, with efforts extending to approximately 200 families in the Gaza governorate itself.
However, Dujarric highlighted that Israeli authorities have been obstructive towards aid delivery in the North Gaza governorate, an area besieged for over 90 days.
Among eight requests for humanitarian movements coordinated across Gaza, only four were facilitated by Israeli authorities, while the others were denied or canceled due to security or logistical challenges.
In a related development, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini issued a stern warning regarding the consequences of Israel's recent legislative moves.
The Knesset, Israel’s parliament, enacted a law in October 2024 that virtually bans UNRWA’s operations in the occupied Palestinian territories, set to become effective by the end of January 2025.
Lazzarini highlighted that the cessation of UNRWA’s activities could have disastrous implications, including disrupting education for 700,000 children and precipitating a collapse in crucial aid and healthcare services.
Israel justifies these measures by alleging involvement of some UNRWA employees in the October 7, 2023, attacks by Palestinian group Hamas, a charge strongly denied by the UN agency.
The UN maintains its stand on neutrality, even as Palestinians perceive these moves as an attempt by Israel to dismantle UNRWA and undermine the Palestinian refugee issue.
UNRWA, established in 1949, has been an essential lifeline for Palestinian refugees displaced during the establishment of Israel.
The agency currently serves nearly 5.9 million refugees across regions including Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate in Gaza, where the Israeli military operations, described as genocidal by some observers, have resulted in the deaths of nearly 46,000 individuals, predominantly women and children, since October 7, 2023.
This violence persists despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric revealed these concerns during a press briefing in Hamilton, Canada.
Dujarric, representing the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), stressed that civilians in Gaza are suffering from "horrific levels of violence" as hostilities persist across the region.
Between December 22 and January 4, the UN and its partners managed to deliver aid to over 2,000 families in southern and central Gaza, with efforts extending to approximately 200 families in the Gaza governorate itself.
However, Dujarric highlighted that Israeli authorities have been obstructive towards aid delivery in the North Gaza governorate, an area besieged for over 90 days.
Among eight requests for humanitarian movements coordinated across Gaza, only four were facilitated by Israeli authorities, while the others were denied or canceled due to security or logistical challenges.
In a related development, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini issued a stern warning regarding the consequences of Israel's recent legislative moves.
The Knesset, Israel’s parliament, enacted a law in October 2024 that virtually bans UNRWA’s operations in the occupied Palestinian territories, set to become effective by the end of January 2025.
Lazzarini highlighted that the cessation of UNRWA’s activities could have disastrous implications, including disrupting education for 700,000 children and precipitating a collapse in crucial aid and healthcare services.
Israel justifies these measures by alleging involvement of some UNRWA employees in the October 7, 2023, attacks by Palestinian group Hamas, a charge strongly denied by the UN agency.
The UN maintains its stand on neutrality, even as Palestinians perceive these moves as an attempt by Israel to dismantle UNRWA and undermine the Palestinian refugee issue.
UNRWA, established in 1949, has been an essential lifeline for Palestinian refugees displaced during the establishment of Israel.
The agency currently serves nearly 5.9 million refugees across regions including Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate in Gaza, where the Israeli military operations, described as genocidal by some observers, have resulted in the deaths of nearly 46,000 individuals, predominantly women and children, since October 7, 2023.
This violence persists despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire.
