Gaza: ‘People losing hope’ as aid access is refused to north, warns UNRWA
12 November 2024
Gaza City – The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees has warned that people in the besieged Gaza Strip are “losing hope” as Israel continues to refuse aid access to the northern part of the territory.
Pierre Krähenbühl, the Commissioner-General of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), said in a statement on Tuesday that the Israeli authorities had blocked a UN convoy carrying food, medicine, and other essential supplies from entering northern Gaza for the third time in as many weeks.
“This is a blatant violation of international law and is causing immense suffering to the people of Gaza,” Krähenbühl said. “We are deeply concerned that this situation could lead to a humanitarian crisis.”
The Israeli government has said that it is blocking the aid convoy because it fears that the supplies could be used by Hamas, the Islamist group that controls Gaza. However, UNRWA has denied this, saying that the supplies are intended for civilians and that they are being delivered in accordance with international law.
Krähenbühl said that the Israeli blockade of Gaza is “collective punishment” against the territory’s two million residents. “It is a violation of their human rights and it must end,” he said.
The UN has repeatedly called on Israel to lift the blockade, but Israel has refused, saying that it is necessary to prevent Hamas from smuggling weapons into Gaza. Hamas, for its part, has said that it is ready to negotiate a ceasefire with Israel, but that it will not give up its weapons.
The situation in Gaza is increasingly desperate. The territory is home to some of the poorest people in the world, and the blockade has crippled the economy. Unemployment is rampant, and food and water shortages are common.
The Israeli blockade has also had a devastating impact on the health of Gaza’s residents. The territory’s hospitals are overcrowded and understaffed, and medicines are in short supply. As a result, many people in Gaza are dying from preventable diseases.
The UN has warned that the situation in Gaza could deteriorate further in the coming months. The winter is approaching, and the territory is already facing a severe fuel shortage. If the blockade is not lifted, it is likely that many people in Gaza will die from the cold or from lack of access to medical care.
The international community must act now to end the Israeli blockade of Gaza. The people of Gaza are suffering, and they deserve to live in peace and dignity.
Gaza: ‘People losing hope’ as aid access is refused to north, warns UNRWA
The AI has provided us with the news.
I’ve asked Google Gemini the following question, and here’s its response.
Top Stories a new article on 2024-11-12 12:00 titled “Gaza: ‘People losing hope’ as aid access is refused to north, warns UNRWA”. Please write a detailed article on this news item, including any relevant information. Answers should be in English.
22