'Israel' denied 68% of 170 humanitarian aid requests in Gaza, UN says
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The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that convoys attempting to deliver aid are not only denied permits but are also routinely turned back or fired upon, exacerbating already dire conditions.
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Palestinians wait to get donated food at a distribution center in Beit Lahiya in the northern Gaza Strip, Monday, April 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)
UN Spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said Wednesday that "Israeli authorities have denied eight out of 14 attempts by aid workers to coordinate access to people needing urgent assistance."
He added that since the latest escalation began, "Israel" has denied 68% of a total 170 UN coordination requests, severely restricting the delivery of life-saving aid to more than two million Palestinians.
The statement follows remarks by Secretary-General António Guterres, who earlier this week described Gaza as a "killing field" and noted that the United Nations would not participate in any aid mechanism that compromises humanitarian principles or allows "Israel" to control and politicize relief efforts.
The aid blockade comes as "Israel" intensifies military operations, including a ground assault launched last Friday in Shejaiya, a densely populated neighborhood in northern Gaza.
The assault began shortly after "Israel" resumed airstrikes on March 18, following Hamas' rejection of a US-backed ceasefire proposal that failed to meet key Palestinian demands: a permanent end to hostilities, full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and the lifting of the blockade.
In tandem with its military actions, "Israel" also cut electricity to a vital desalination plant, halting access to clean water for thousands, and sealed border crossings, blocking the entry of aid trucks and medical supplies.
Human rights groups and UN agencies have warned that these measures amount to collective punishment—a violation of international humanitarian law.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that convoys attempting to deliver aid are not only denied permits but are also routinely turned back or fired upon, exacerbating already dire conditions.
Read more: PRCS says Israeli troops shot Gaza aid crew 'with intent to kill'
"Israel's" insistence on unilateral control over humanitarian access has drawn condemnation from legal experts, who argue that obstructing essential aid while targeting civilian infrastructure may constitute war crimes under the Geneva Conventions.
Despite these restrictions, Palestinian civilians—already suffering from displacement, hunger, and the collapse of critical infrastructure—remain cut off from meaningful international relief.
Aid workers continue to warn that unless access is restored immediately, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza could become irreversible.
