Flour and vegetable prices in the Gaza Strip have surged more than 100-fold, leaving essential living materials stranded as Israel closes key crossings into the enclave. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported on Monday that the Kerem Shalom, Erez, and Zikim crossings remain closed for cargo, preventing the delivery of vital humanitarian assistance, including thousands of tents.
Since early Sunday, Israel has blocked humanitarian aid to Gaza in an effort to pressure Hamas into accepting a new proposal to extend the first phase of a ceasefire and hostage release deal, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated was proposed by the United States.
Tom Fletcher, the UN emergency relief coordinator, expressed his alarm on social media, emphasizing the importance of allowing access to lifesaving aid and the urgent need to secure the release of hostages.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on all parties to prevent a return to hostilities in Gaza and urged the immediate resumption of humanitarian aid deliveries, alongside the release of all hostages. Additionally, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned that the halt in aid deliveries will soon have devastating effects on children and families struggling to survive in the region.
As the situation continues to deteriorate, OCHA and its partners are assessing available stocks within Gaza to mitigate the growing humanitarian crisis.
