UN Raises Alarm Over Humanitarian Catastrophe in Gaza

The UN and partners deeply concerned over humanitarian crisis in Gaza, as Israeli government maintain a near-total blockade on the delivery of aid for a ninth consecutive week.

In a statement issued on Sunday by the UN Humanitarian Country Team – which leads coordinated relief efforts across the Occupied Palestinian Territory – officials condemned Israeli efforts to dismantle the current aid system.

Israeli plans would "contravene fundamental humanitarian principles" and deepen the suffering of civilians already enduring severe shortages of food, water, and medical care, said the team led by the UN’s top aid official in the region representing UN and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) both international and Palestinian. 

“Bakeries have shut. Community kitchens have closed. Warehouses stand empty. Children have gone hungry,” the statement read, describing the dire conditions facing the population.

The UN also revealed that Israeli authorities were attempting to impose a new aid distribution system that would funnel humanitarian supplies through military-controlled hubs, rather than allowing UN agencies and NGOs to operate independently.