UN 'on its knees' pleading for Gaza aid
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Jeremy Laurence, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), stated the aid allowed into Gaza was " a mere drop in the ocean of what is needed."
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Trucks with humanitarian aid for the Gaza Strip enter from Egypt in Rafah, Oct. 21, 2023 (AFP)
On Tuesday, UN agencies pleaded "on our knees" for unhindered access to Gaza, claiming that current supplies were insufficient to maintain the Palestinian people following two weeks of Israeli air attacks.
Since "Israel" imposed a full siege on the strip, relentlessly bombarding it, U.N. organizations have made more urgent calls for help.
After strenuous diplomatic efforts, trucks of assistance began arriving in Gaza from Egypt on Saturday, but humanitarian groups warn they are far from sufficient. Half of the strip's 2.3 million residents are homeless, many have been injured, and food and clean water are scarce.
Jeremy Laurence, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), stated the aid was " a mere drop in the ocean of what is needed."
UNRWA spokesperson Tamara Alrifai expressed that fuel is extremely urgent because "Without fuel, the generators cannot produce electricity for hospitals, for bakeries and for the water desalination plant.
Brian Lander, deputy head of emergencies at the World Food Programme, explained that Gaza's population required roughly 465 trucks per day before the Israeli siege, noting that "We're seeing at best 20 trucks a day at the moment.
Dr Rick Brennan, WHO Regional Emergencies Director for Eastern Mediterranean Region emphasized that hospitals in the north have not received medical supplies or the fuel they require.
"We are on our knees asking for that sustained, scaled up, protected humanitarian operation," Brennan said.
"We appeal to all of those in a situation to make a decision or to influence decision-makers to give us the humanitarian space to address this human catastrophe."
'Israel' should restore energy, water supplies to Gaza: WHO Chief
The World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged the Israeli authorities Tuesday to bring back water, electricity, and fuel to the Gaza Strip.
At the opening of the 73rd session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe, Ghebreyesus said, "The attacks of Hamas and other armed forces on October 7 that targeted Israeli civilians were horrific and unjustifiable, and they should be condemned. At the same time, the WHO is gravely concerned about the health and well-being of civilians in Gaza, who are suffering from bombardment and siege," adding: "I appeal to Israel to restore supplies of electricity, water and fuel [...] to Gaza."
In addition, he backed Antonio Guterres, the UN secretary general, in his demand for a quick ceasefire for humanitarian reasons.
On October 7, the Palestinian organization Hamas announced the launching of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood following a barrage of rockets fired and an infiltration operation into Gaza Envelope settlements. To completely cut off the Gaza Strip, home to over two million people, "Israel" began retaliatory strikes and issued an order to cut off fuel, food, and water supplies. Later, the embargo was loosened to let vehicles carrying supplies enter the Gaza Strip. Thousands of people have been murdered and injured during the Israeli aggression on Gaza.
