UNRWA warns of catastrophic conditions in Gaza due to Israeli siege

By Ahmed Asmar

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) on Friday said renewed Israeli strikes and a crippling siege exacerbate humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip.

In a statement, UNRWA said it currently runs 115 shelters across Gaza, with over 90,000 displaced people living in them.

"An already dire situation is deteriorating due to bombardment and the siege blocking the entry of humanitarian and commercial supplies," it added.

The UN estimates that nearly 420,000 people have been displaced yet again since the breakdown of the January ceasefire, the agency said, reiterating its call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

Since March 2, Israel has closed Gaza’s crossings, blocking essential supplies from entering the enclave despite multiple reports of famine in the war-devastated territory.

The Israeli army renewed its assault on Gaza on March 18, shattering the truce and prisoner exchange agreement that took hold in January. It has killed more than 51,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in the enclave since October 2023.