UNRWA Calls on Israel to Lift Gaza Siege as Humanitarian Crisis Deepens

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has called on Israeli authorities to immediately lift the ongoing blockade on the Gaza Strip, which has reached its most severe level since March 2. The agency warned that "desperation has reached its peak" amid an escalating humanitarian catastrophe.

According to the Palestinian news agency WAFA, UNRWA sounded the alarm over worsening conditions in Gaza due to a combination of forced displacement, relentless Israeli bombardment, and a crippling siege that has severely restricted the flow of humanitarian aid.

The agency cautioned that the dire situation is rapidly deteriorating, with approximately 2.4 million Palestinians in Gaza facing an acute shortage of food, medicine, and other essentials. UNRWA accused Israel of pursuing a deliberate policy of starvation by keeping border crossings shut to aid convoys that have been waiting at the border since early March.

The blockade has plunged the enclave into a state of famine, resulting in the deaths of many and threatening the survival of hundreds of thousands more. UNRWA reiterated its urgent appeal for immediate humanitarian access and protection for civilians, warning that time is running out to prevent further tragedy.