UN refugee agency unable to safely deliver aid to northern Gaza amid Israeli fire

By Anadolu staff

ISTANBUL (AA) – The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said Wednesday it is still unable to safely deliver humanitarian aid to the northern Gaza Strip amid Israeli fire.

We “have been unable to reach northern Gaza and increasingly parts of southern Gaza, safely,” UNRWA said in a statement.

“Aid convoys reportedly continue to come under fire and are denied access by the Israeli Authorities.”

The refugee agency said that humanitarian aid flows into Gaza have dropped by 50% in February.

“The number of trucks entering Gaza remains well below the target of 500 per day, with significant difficulties bringing supplies in through both Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) and Rafah,” it added.

“UNRWA trucks have struggled to enter the Gaza Strip due to security constraints and temporary closures at both crossings.”

UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini on Sunday warned of an imminent famine in Gaza as aid agencies struggle to deliver food to the north of the enclave.

“The last time UNRWA was able to deliver food aid to northern Gaza was on January 23,” Lazzarini wrote on social media.

Recent findings by UN-affiliated partner organizations suggest that acute malnutrition has spiked in Gaza to reach 16.2%, exceeding the critical threshold set by the World Health Organization at 15%.

Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Hamas, which Tel Aviv says killed nearly 1,200 people.

At least 29,954 Palestinians have since been killed and over 70,300 others injured, while nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which in an interim ruling this January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar