Aid Restrictions and Dismantling UNRWA Will Compound Gazans’ Suffering
November 4, 2024
Gaza City, Gaza Strip – The recent announcement by the Israeli government to impose new aid restrictions on the Gaza Strip has sparked widespread concern among humanitarian organizations, who warn that the measures will only worsen the already dire humanitarian situation in the besieged enclave.
Under the new restrictions, Israel will ban the entry of all foreign aid into Gaza, including food, medicine, and construction materials. The move comes just weeks after the Israeli government announced its intention to dismantle the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which provides essential services to the 2 million Palestinians living in Gaza.
Humanitarian organizations have condemned the Israeli government’s actions as “collective punishment” and a violation of international law. They argue that the aid restrictions and the dismantling of UNRWA will have a devastating impact on the health, education, and welfare of the Gazan population.
“These measures will only serve to deepen the suffering of the people of Gaza,” said Jens Laerke, a spokesperson for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). “They will deprive people of food, medicine, and other essential services, and will make it even more difficult for them to rebuild their lives.”
The Israeli government claims that the aid restrictions and the dismantling of UNRWA are necessary to prevent Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza, from using the aid for military purposes. However, humanitarian organizations have dismissed this claim as “unfounded” and have accused the Israeli government of using the aid restrictions as a political weapon.
“The Israeli government is using the aid restrictions as a way to punish the people of Gaza for electing Hamas,” said Omar Shaban, a spokesperson for the Palestinian Red Crescent Society. “This is a clear violation of international law and must be condemned.”
The aid restrictions and the dismantling of UNRWA are the latest in a series of measures taken by the Israeli government to isolate and punish the people of Gaza. In recent years, Israel has imposed a strict blockade on Gaza, which has restricted the movement of people and goods, and has launched three major military offensives against the territory.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza is already dire. The poverty rate is over 60%, and unemployment is over 40%. Nearly 60% of the population depends on food aid, and nearly 30% of the population is malnourished. The Israeli government’s actions will only make this situation worse.
Humanitarian organizations are calling on the Israeli government to lift the aid restrictions and to halt the dismantling of UNRWA. They also call on the international community to pressure Israel to end its siege of Gaza and to provide the people of Gaza with the protection and assistance they need.
Aid restrictions and dismantling UNRWA will compound Gazans’ suffering
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