UN officials warn of famine and disease in Gaza

Shafaq News / The heads of three major United Nations agencies have warned that Gaza urgently needs more assistance, or its population will suffer widespread famine and disease. The authorities in the region reported that the death toll in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has surpassed 24,000.

While the heads of the UN agencies did not directly accuse Israel, they stated that aid delivery is hindered due to the extremely limited opening of border crossings, slow inspection of trucks and goods headed to Gaza, and the ongoing fighting throughout the sector – issues in which Israel plays a decisive role.

The war, initiated by Israel against Hamas in Gaza, ignited by the armed movement’s attack on southern Israel on October 7, has led to unprecedented destruction in the small coastal strip. It has triggered a humanitarian catastrophe, displacing the majority of Gaza's 2.3 million inhabitants, with over a quarter forced into displacement and famine according to the United Nations.

A day after the White House announced that it was time for Israel to scale back its military offensive, the World Food Programme (WFP), UNICEF, and the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that new entry routes to Gaza must be opened, allowing more trucks to enter every day. Relief workers and those seeking assistance should be allowed to move safely.

Furthermore, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated that UN agencies and their partners "cannot effectively provide humanitarian aid while Gaza is subjected to such intense, widespread, and continuous bombing." He added that the killing of 152 UN staff in Gaza since the start of the war is "the largest loss of life in the history of our organization."