Gaza urges pressure on 'Israel' as UN warns aid delays cost lives

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
17 Oct 2025 19:38
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Gaza authorities are urging mediators to enforce the ceasefire’s aid terms as UN officials warn that prolonged delays risk worsening hunger, disease, and civilian deaths.

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Palestinians in Hamad City, Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, Friday, Oct. 17, 2025 (AP)

Authorities in Gaza have urged international mediators to pressure “Israel” to uphold the terms of the ceasefire agreement and allow the entry of humanitarian aid convoys, warning that continued delays are deepening the enclave’s catastrophic humanitarian crisis.

The Government Media Office (GMO) said Friday it had received assurances from mediators that the Rafah border crossing would reopen “in the coming hours.” However, it stressed that “Israel” has yet to comply with the agreed terms, ensuring a steady flow of aid to the war-torn territory.

“The delay in allowing the agreed-upon aid convoys is worsening the already dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza,” the office said in a statement.

The GMO added that the extent of destruction across the Strip is unprecedented, estimating 55 million tons of debris from months of Israeli bombardment. The process of clearing the rubble, it said, will require “enormous time, effort, and international support.”

The office also revealed the presence of roughly 20,000 unexploded Israeli bombs and missiles scattered across Gaza, calling it “the largest construction and humanitarian catastrophe in modern history.”

UNRWA: Every delay in aid delivery ‘means more deaths’

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) warned that further delays in allowing humanitarian supplies into Gaza would lead to more preventable deaths as hunger and disease continue to spread despite the ceasefire.

Jonathan Fuller, UNRWA’s Acting Director of Communications, described the truce between Hamas and “Israel” as a positive but insufficient step toward addressing Gaza’s “profound humanitarian crisis.”

“The ceasefire is a crucial step, but it is only the beginning of addressing the profound humanitarian crisis facing the people of the Gaza Strip,” Fuller said Thursday.

He stressed that aid deliveries must be dramatically scaled up to meet the overwhelming needs of Gaza’s population.

“Each day of delay in facilitating aid delivery results in more deaths from malnutrition and preventable diseases,” he warned, adding that preventing the spread of illness and worsening food shortages must now be the top priority.

WFP: Gaza needs massive scale-up in food aid

Earlier today, the World Food Programme (WFP) warned that the current level of humanitarian aid entering the Gaza Strip remains far below what is needed to avert famine, stressing the urgent need for both increased food deliveries and medical intervention to save lives.

A WFP spokesperson told Al Mayadeen that the situation in Gaza remains critical despite a recent increase in aid deliveries since the ceasefire began. She explained that the amount of assistance entering Gaza is not at the required level, emphasizing that “we need to flood Gaza with food.”

The spokesperson added that reversing the famine-level crisis requires intensive medical efforts alongside adequate nutrition, underscoring that malnutrition, hunger, and disease are now deeply intertwined in Gaza’s humanitarian emergency.

560 tonnes of food per day 'not enough'

According to the WFP, approximately 560 tonnes of food have been entering the Gaza Strip daily since the start of the ceasefire, a significant improvement from the blockade period, but still insufficient given the vast scale of need among the population.

The agency reiterated its call for the reopening of Gaza’s northern crossings, warning that current access restrictions are preventing aid from reaching areas most affected by starvation, and that not opening the northern crossings limits the ability to reach the areas most in need.

Earlier this week, the WFP confirmed that 137 aid trucks carrying flour and essential food supplies had entered Gaza to support bakeries and food distribution efforts. The organization also revealed that more than 170,000 tonnes of food are currently ready for transport and could feed up to two million people if access is granted.

Officials in Gaza said that the slow pace of deliveries and restricted access through Israeli-controlled crossings are preventing humanitarian agencies from reaching northern regions, where famine conditions remain acute.

Interior Ministry praises unity against lawlessness

Meanwhile, Gaza’s Interior Ministry praised the widespread national consensus rejecting internal disorder, crediting local families and political factions for helping preserve social stability amid wartime hardship.

“The positions of families and factions reaffirm the lifting of protection from anyone seeking to perpetuate chaos and lawlessness within society,” the ministry stressed.

It added that “the collaboration of a handful of rogue individuals with the occupation does not taint the Palestinian people or their families, and this small group will remain isolated.”

Earlier, tribal and clan leaders had condemned acts of “thuggery and lawlessness” by individuals exploiting the temporary absence of security forces during the genocide. They expressed full support for the security services, saying these forces are “working tirelessly to restore order, deter aggressors, and end the state of chaos with determination and speed.”