UN says Israel blocked several humanitarian missions in Gaza

By Merve Aydogan

HAMILTON, Canada (AA)—The UN on Friday said that Israeli authorities blocked several humanitarian missions in the Gaza Strip, including one aimed at reaching a wastewater treatment plant in Khan Younis, limiting aid to civilians in urgent need.

Citing the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said during a news conference that the UN teams "attempted to coordinate eight humanitarian missions, five of which were fully facilitated."

"The three other missions, including one to reach a wastewater treatment plant in Khan Younis, were denied by the Israeli authorities," he said, adding that the missions that proceeded collected food and medical supplies at Kerem Shalom and Karem Abu Salem, while monitoring humanitarian cargo at Kerem Shalom and Kissufim crossings.

"Four months since the ceasefire agreement came into effect, the humanitarian scale-up has saved countless lives and pushed back famine in Gaza," Dujarric said.

"Many people in Gaza, however, remain living in extremely harsh conditions, and the humanitarian response faces significant obstacles, especially to the entry of goods and the ability of humanitarian partners to operate," he said, adding that nearly 1.5 million people, or two in every three Palestinians in Gaza, "are staying in 1,000 displacement sites that are often overcrowded, and in tents that offer no privacy and little protection from the weather."

While UN partners provided tents, bedding, and clothing to more than 85,000 families in January, Dujarric warned that "to provide more durable solutions, restrictions on the entry of essential construction materials and equipment must be lifted."

An Oct. 10 ceasefire agreement ended Israel’s two-year war that began on Oct. 8, 2023. Palestinian authorities say the conflict killed more than 72,000 Palestinians, wounded over 171,000 others, and caused widespread destruction affecting 90% of civilian infrastructure. The UN estimates reconstruction costs at approximately $70 billion.

At least 591 Palestinians have been killed and over 1,578 others injured in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.