The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has urgently called for the immediate opening of crossings and the sufficient delivery of aid to the Gaza Strip. They emphasized the importance of continuing to pressure Israel to facilitate humanitarian aid without restrictions.
Louise Wellridge, a spokesperson for UNRWA, stated during a video briefing with journalists in Geneva that the organization has a significant amount of aid stored, highlighting Gaza’s need for uninterrupted support to prevent widespread hunger.
Dr. Akihiro Sita, the health director at UNRWA, expressed concern over the potential famine in Gaza, warning that it could spiral out of control. He stressed that the complete absence of life in Gaza is unacceptable.
He pointed out that while the agency possesses a large stock of medications and other assistance, as well as volunteers ready to help, their access is hindered by Israel.
Meanwhile, Janes Lirke, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), reported that only five out of nine trucks intended for Gaza were allowed to enter yesterday. He anticipates that around one hundred trucks will gain entry today.
In a related note, Dr. Rick Pepperkorn, a representative of the World Health Organization in the occupied Palestinian territories, noted that the violent hostilities in Gaza since May 15 have resulted in numerous casualties and displaced over 34,000 people again.
Pepperkorn emphasized that the psychological toll of the conflict in Gaza is immense and will last a lifetime for many individuals. He reiterated the World Health Organization’s call for a ceasefire.