Humanitarians Underscore Need for Urgent and Sustained Support in Gaza
2025-02-17 12:00 | Gaza, Palestine
Humanitarian organizations working in the Gaza Strip are calling for urgent and sustained support to address the ongoing crisis in the territory. The organizations, including the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and Oxfam, released a joint statement today expressing their deep concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza.
“The crisis in Gaza has reached a critical point,” said Jens Laerke, UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territory. “Over 2 million people in Gaza are dependent on humanitarian assistance to meet their basic needs, and the funding gap is growing.”
According to the UN, the humanitarian appeal for Gaza is currently only 20% funded. This means that vital services such as healthcare, education, and water and sanitation are at risk of being cut or scaled back.
“We are seeing a worrying increase in food insecurity, malnutrition, and poverty in Gaza,” said Elyse Margolis, Country Director for Oxfam in the occupied Palestinian territory. “Many families are struggling to feed their children and keep a roof over their heads.”
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is compounded by the ongoing blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt. The blockade has severely restricted the movement of people and goods in and out of the territory, making it difficult for humanitarian organizations to deliver aid and for businesses to operate.
“The blockade is suffocating the people of Gaza,” said Fabrizio Carboni, ICRC’s head of delegation in Israel and the occupied territories. “It is preventing the entry of essential goods, hindering the movement of people, and undermining the local economy.”
The humanitarian organizations are calling on the international community to take urgent action to address the crisis in Gaza. This includes increasing funding for humanitarian assistance, working to lift the blockade, and supporting a just and lasting solution to the conflict in the occupied Palestinian territory.
“We cannot afford to wait any longer,” said Laerke. “The people of Gaza need our help now. We must act urgently to prevent a further deterioration of the humanitarian situation.”
Humanitarians underscore need for urgent and sustained support in Gaza
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