UN to make $2.8 billion flash appeal for Gaza, West Bank

By Merve Aydogan

HAMILTON, Canada (AA) - The UN announced Tuesday it will launch a $2.8 billion global appeal for the Gaza Strip and occupied West Bank.

Saying that 2 million survivors in Gaza are struggling for life every day, the head of the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in the occupied Palestinian territory, Andrea De Domenico, told reporters virtually that despite the efforts, the "reality is that there is very little that we can bring inside Gaza to tackle displacement and deal with famine."

De Domenico said the global appeal for aid fund will be launched Wednesday.

The appeal is “to support the 3 million people identified across the West Bank and Gaza."

He said 90% of the aid will go to Gaza and his office initially planned to ask for $4 billion but reduced that figure due to limited aid distribution capabilities.

Noting that famine arises due to the absence of food, hygiene, water and health facilities, de Domenico said, "Uncertainty is a daily reality for people in Gaza."

He stated that families coming to the south of Gaza have been displaced seven times, and two days ago his team saw thousands queuing toward the north.

"There was a rumor that the Israeli forces have allowed or would have allowed people to go back to North. Indeed, some people received phone calls that were intended to suggest that they could go back. Then when thousands of people showed up, the Israeli military had shot on the area because they were quite taken aback about the number," he said.

Saying that they are still trying to figure out the incident, de Domenico said humanitarian aid is hindered by a "combination of strategies."

Emphasizing that access barriers, delays or other problems constantly arise, he said Israel comes up with such a "combination of strategies" to avoid the narrative of "we are obstructing aid."

De Domenico said Israel "over and over again" plays the "blame game" and added, "We accept that. We continue to engage with them and our objective is really to solve the issue and deliver (aid)."

- 'There is not a single university that is standing in Gaza'

The OCHA official drew attention to the destruction of almost everything following an attack on Khan Younis by Israel.

"The vast majority of school have been destroyed and there is not a single university that is standing in Gaza. It will take years to bring back students to school," he said.

Emphasizing the importance of education, de Domenico noted that there are "systematic" attacks on schools, particularly universities.

"Education is fundamental to build peace ... education is the hope for the future," he added.

He highlighted the troubling attacks on hospitals, stating that after Israel raided the Al Shifa hospital, UN teams went there and faced what was like a "scene of terror."

Noting that the hospital is "completely non-functional at the moment," de Domenico reported that many bodies are missing, people cannot identify killed relatives in the hospital and try to recognize them from their shoes.

On the situation in the occupied West Bank, de Domenico said it has worsened significantly since last Friday, with illegal settlers attacking 17 villages.

He said Israeli forces either protect or directly support attacks by illegal settlers, adding that since Oct. 7, settlers have carried out 781 attacks in the West Bank.