Israel’s ongoing military actions in Gaza are dismantling the essential means of survival for its residents, United Nations humanitarian agencies warned on Monday. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) expressed grave concern over the attacks on healthcare facilities, emergency services, and the crippling of humanitarian access in the region.
The warning follows an announcement by World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus regarding the closure of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza. The hospital ceased operations after an Israeli raid and the detention of its director, Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, last Friday. Dr. Safiya’s current whereabouts remain unknown.
In a statement on social media platform X, Dr. Tedros reported that patients in critical condition were transferred to the non-functioning Indonesian Hospital. “Hospitals have become battlegrounds, and the health system is under severe threat,” he said, urging for the immediate release of Dr. Safiya and a halt to attacks on medical facilities. He added, “We urge Israel to ensure their health care needs and rights are upheld.”
The OCHA highlighted that on Sunday, in a rare successful mission, teams from the WHO, the World Food Program (WFP), the Palestine Red Crescent Society, and the UN Department for Safety delivered essential medical and hygiene supplies, food, and water to the Indonesian Hospital. The team reported dire conditions, noting the facility lacks water, electricity, and sanitation services.
Access to northern Gaza for humanitarian missions has been severely restricted. Of the 150 mission attempts since October, most have been denied by Israeli authorities, with three out of four recent attempts between Friday and Sunday being refused. Even the missions that were permitted faced significant impediments. The OCHA stated, “It should not require breaking a siege to help survivors in critical need. Aid workers must be granted safe and unhindered access to assist people wherever they are.”
Humanitarian operations across the Gaza Strip face systematic hindrances, with over 60 percent of UN-coordinated movements denied or interfered with since Friday. Additional challenges include armed looting of relief convoys; two such incidents occurred in the past three days in southern Gaza, affecting dozens of truckloads of supplies and exposing drivers to significant risks.
The ongoing conflict and restrictions on commercial and other imports continue to paralyze humanitarian efforts, leaving families in urgent need of food, shelter materials, and clothing as winter approaches. The OCHA emphasized the critical need for immediate and unfettered humanitarian access to address the escalating crisis.
Reference(s):
UN agencies say Israeli attacks in Gaza dismantle means of survival
cgtn.com
