UN relief chief criticizes insufficient humanitarian efforts in Gaza, urges sustainable solutions

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

GENEVA (AA) – The UN relief chief stated on Thursday that there is a humanitarian operation taking place but it cannot be called that because the amount is too little.

“We do not have a humanitarian operation in Gaza that can be called by that name anymore,” Martin Griffiths, the UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, said at a press conference in Geneva.

Although trucks continue to pass through the Rafah border crossing, Griffiths stressed that the current humanitarian operation in Gaza is at best "humanitarian opportunism" that is not sustainable.

He added that the negotiations are underway to open the Kerem Shalom crossing from Israel to Gaza, describing the negotiations as "promising."

The relief chief reiterated that there are no safe zones in Gaza, adding that "people are not talking about safe zones anymore."

Israel resumed its military offensive on the Gaza Strip on Dec. 1 after the end of a weeklong humanitarian pause with the Palestinian group Hamas.

At least 17,177 Palestinians have been killed and more than 46,000 others injured in relentless air and ground attacks on the enclave since Oct. 7 following a cross-border attack by Hamas.

The Israeli death toll in the Hamas attack stood at 1,200, according to official figures.