'Israel' denying 'vital aid' to reach Gaza: UN spokesperson

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
11 Jan 2025 14:29
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UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric expresses OCHA's grave concerns regarding the effects of "dwindling fuel supplies on essential services in Gaza."

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Israeli soldiers close the gate of Erez Crossing after trucks carrying humanitarian aid entered the Gaza Strip, in southern occupied Palestine, on Monday, Oct. 21, 2024 (AP)

"Israel" continues to block the delivery of "vital aid" to those in need in the Gaza Strip, with more than half of the humanitarian assistance being obstructed by the Israeli authorities the previous day, the UN reported on Friday.

During a news conference, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, citing the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), accused Israeli authorities of continuing "to deny UN-led efforts to reach Gaza governor with vital aid," including the most recent attempt across the Gaza Strip.

"Only 10 out of the 21 UN-planned humanitarian movements were facilitated by Israeli authorities," he noted, adding that "seven were denied outright, three were impeded, and one was canceled due to security and logistical challenges."

Dujarric also expressed OCHA's grave concerns regarding the effects of "dwindling fuel supplies on essential services in Gaza."

He warned that "Palestinian telecommunication providers are now warning that their services may start to shut down tomorrow due to fuel shortages, which they need to run the generators for the set for their equipment."

Turning to the occupied West Bank, Dujarric pointed to a "violent picture in the first week of this year," recalling that Israeli occupation forces had killed three Palestinians, including a child, and injured 38 others, including incidents in the eastern part of al-Quds.

He further reported that illegal Israeli settlers had injured at least 18 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including nine in the Ramallah Governorate.

Additionally, he highlighted that "more than 50 Palestinians in the West Bank were displaced by home demolitions" during the first week of 2025.

US officials warn UNRWA ban to cause 'catastrophe'

US State Department officials have lately warned the Trump administration transition team of a potential humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza due to a new Israeli law barring contact with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), according to three US officials who spoke to Axios.

The law is set to take effect at the end of the month, shortly after President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration.

After over a year of aggression and destruction, Gaza is left teetering on the edge of uninhabitability, with the UN and other aid organizations issuing grave warnings.

Tens of thousands of homes have been destroyed, nearly two million Palestinians have been displaced, and the population remains heavily reliant on international aid for essential needs, such as food, water, and medical care.

State Department officials briefed Joel Rayburn, a key figure in the Trump transition team and a former US envoy to Syria, on the dire implications of the new Israeli law. Rayburn, expected to assume the role of Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs, was informed of the significant risks posed by the restrictions on UNRWA's operations in Gaza.

"We wanted them to know what is going to happen 10 days into their presidency," one US official told Axios. "We thought it was the responsible thing to do. It's a catastrophe waiting to happen."

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has also expressed concern, writing to the UN General Assembly in December about the devastating impact of curtailing UNRWA activities in Gaza and the West Bank.

“There is currently no realistic alternative to UNRWA which could adequately provide the services and assistance required,” Guterres emphasized.