Only death is certain in Gaza, UNRWA says
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The UN agency for refugees underlines that only death is certain for the people of Gaza as they continue to face the Israeli campaign of ethnic cleansing.
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Palestinians flocking toward aid trucks in the central Gaza Strip, Saturday, May 18, 2024 (AP)
The spokesperson for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), Louise Wateridge, warned that death appears to be the only certainty for the 2.4 million Palestinians in Gaza, where "no place is safe" due to ongoing Israeli bombardments.
Speaking to AFP from within the besieged strip via video link, Wateridge described the dire situation: "It does feel like people are waiting for death. Death seems to be the only certainty in this situation."
Having been in Gaza for two weeks, Wateridge is witnessing firsthand the scale of the humanitarian crisis, the pervasive fear of death, and the spread of diseases as the conflict drags on.
"Nowhere in the Gaza Strip is safe, absolutely nowhere is safe," she said from Nuseirat in central Gaza, a location frequently targeted by Israeli airstrikes. " It's absolutely devastating."
Wateridge highlighted the unprecedented challenges posed by the spread of diseases and poor sanitation, exacerbated by the Israeli blockade. Even schools, once considered safe havens, are no longer secure. "It feels like you're never more than a few blocks away from the front line now," she added.
The UNRWA spokesperson also noted that an increasing number of Gaza residents, exhausted by the Israeli occupation forces' constant evacuation orders, are becoming hesitant to move from place to place. "They feel like they're being chased around in circles," she explained, citing the difficulty of relocating, especially in the heat and with children, the elderly, and disabled individuals.
Wateridge also emphasized the deteriorating conditions for those still on the move, "there are rats, there are mice, there are scorpions, there are cockroaches," Wateridge said, adding that insects "spread disease from shelter to shelter" wherever they go.
Blocking flow of aid
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has warned that the ongoing Israeli military attacks and repeated "evacuation orders" continue to impede the delivery of humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip.
UN secretary-general's spokesperson Stephane Dujarric stated that including parts of Salah al-Din Road—a vital route for humanitarian missions—in the recent "evacuation order" issued on Saturday for parts of the Deir al-Balah governorate has made it nearly impossible for aid workers to travel along this major road.
Read more: 400 agencies unite in plea to protect civilians, aid staff in Gaza
The new "evacuation orders in Gaza impact the Maghazi refugee camp, five schools, 14 water facilities, and 10 health sites," said Dujarric.
He added that the coastal road is not a viable alternative, noting that the beaches along this route are now crowded with temporary shelters for displaced Palestinians.
As a result, the movement of aid convoys along the coastal road has become extremely slow, and essential supplies and services, such as water transport, are not reaching those in need.
The Director General of the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza Mounir al-Barash announced on Tuesday that the Israeli occupation forces "deliberately obstructed the entry of a UN humanitarian convoy carrying critical medical supplies and fuel" into the besieged Strip.
Read more: UNRWA loses touch with many staff in Gaza, learning of deaths
Al-Barash highlighted that Gaza’s fuel reserves "are only sufficient for the next 24 hours," emphasizing that "the critical shortage of both fuel and medicine severely hinders efforts to save those injured in the occupation's ongoing massacres."
He added that ambulances are now "out of fuel, preventing the rescue of the wounded," accusing the occupation of "deliberately targeting as many displaced people in shelters as possible," further warning that delays in intervention "endanger the lives of the injured," stating, "We rely on God and our resilient health workers to persevere and continue."
In conclusion, al-Barash expressed his gratitude to all the medical delegations arriving from various Arab countries, recognizing their vital support and solidarity during this critical time.
