Aid Surging into Gaza ‘at Scale’ but Massive Needs Remain: OCHA, WHO
Published: 2025-01-21 12:00
GAZA CITY, Palestine – Humanitarian aid is flowing into Gaza “at scale,” but massive needs remain after a deadly airstrike campaign by Israel, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
“Aid is surging into Gaza at scale, but the needs are also enormous,” said Matthias Schmale, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, in a statement released on Friday. “We need to continue scaling up our response to meet the urgent needs of the people of Gaza.”
The statement comes as the death toll from the Israeli airstrikes has risen to over 200, including at least 60 children. The violence erupted on Monday and lasted for 11 days before a ceasefire was reached on Thursday.
OCHA said that over 1,000 homes have been destroyed or damaged in Gaza, and that over 4,000 people have been displaced. The agency also said that the health system in Gaza has been “severely damaged,” with at least 19 health facilities hit by Israeli airstrikes.
WHO said that the health needs in Gaza are “immense,” with hospitals struggling to cope with the influx of wounded patients. The agency said that it has deployed emergency medical teams to Gaza and is working to provide essential medicines and medical equipment.
“The health needs in Gaza are immense, and we are working around the clock to provide life-saving assistance,” said Gerald Rockenschaub, the WHO’s Regional Emergency Director for the Eastern Mediterranean. “We are particularly concerned about the lack of access to clean water, food, and shelter, which can lead to the spread of disease.”
The United Nations has called for a full investigation into the Israeli airstrikes and has urged all parties to respect international humanitarian law. The UN has also called for an immediate ceasefire and for the lifting of the blockade on Gaza.
Additional Information:
- The airstrikes on Gaza were the deadliest since 2014.
- The violence erupted after Hamas, the Islamist group that controls Gaza, fired rockets into Israel.
- The ceasefire was reached thanks to mediation by Egypt and Qatar.
- The international community has pledged over $100 million in aid to Gaza.
- The United States has condemned the violence and called for a ceasefire.
- The European Union has called for an investigation into the airstrikes.
- Human rights groups have accused Israel of war crimes.
- Israel has defended its airstrikes, saying that they were necessary to stop Hamas rocket attacks.
Aid surging into Gaza ‘at scale’ but massive needs remain: OCHA, WHO
The AI has provided us with the news.
I’ve asked Google Gemini the following question, and here’s its response.
Humanitarian Aid a new article on 2025-01-21 12:00 titled “Aid surging into Gaza ‘at scale’ but massive needs remain: OCHA, WHO”. Please write a detailed article on this news item, including any relevant information. Answers should be in English.
6