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With food, medicine, and essential supplies dwindling, humanitarian workers are expressing increasing concern over the anxiety felt by residents standing in long lines at the few remaining bakeries in Gaza.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), efforts by aid organizations to coordinate access with Israeli authorities in the region have faced numerous obstacles. In a recent post, OCHA reported that five out of seven access attempts were denied on Monday, and six out of nine on Tuesday, resulting in widespread frustration among those trying to provide assistance in #Gaza.
Hospitals in Distress
Healthcare teams in Gaza are reportedly in a state of crisis, desperately needing safety and additional resources amidst ongoing military strikes. OCHA noted an alarming rise in attacks targeting healthcare workers, ambulances, and facilities, which has led to significant casualties, a steep decline in medical supplies, and a shortage of personnel since the suspension of hostilities.
“No one is safe. The world must have zero tolerance for atrocities,” stressed the UN agency, highlighting the urgent need for international intervention. Recent reports indicate that nearly 800 Palestinians have lost their lives in the past few days, including 38 in a 24-hour period after renewed Israeli airstrikes began on March 18.
In the past week alone, eight aid workers have been killed, raising the total number of fatalities among humanitarian personnel in Gaza to 399, which includes 289 UN staff. OCHA specifically mentioned that members of the UN Office for Project Services and the UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) were among those killed in an Israeli tank strike on a UN compound in Deir al-Balah. Israel has denied responsibility for this attack.
Three individuals injured in this incident were affiliated with the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS), which focuses on clearing unexploded ordnance in the region. OCHA also reported that on March 20, the Israeli military repositioned its forces along the eastern and central sectors of the “Netzarim corridor,” limiting movement between northern and southern Gaza to a single road.
Evacuation Orders Cause Further Displacement
Efforts related to military operations and the issuance of new displacement orders by the Israeli military have resulted in what OCHA describes as “new waves” of displacement in Gaza. Between March 18 and 23, it is estimated that over 142,000 people have been forced from their homes.
The evacuation orders have reportedly affected an area of 55 square kilometers across six zones in the Gaza Strip, approximately the same size as Manhattan. This represents about 15 percent of the enclave being impacted, exacerbating the situation alongside existing no-go zones along the borders and in central Gaza.
Moreover, the Israeli government’s recent decision to halt the entry of humanitarian aid and other essentials via all land crossings into Gaza marks the longest such closure since October 2023. OCHA expressed concern that this blockade has reversed progress achieved during the ceasefire aimed at aiding survivors.
As of now, local authorities confirm that at least 50,000 Palestinians have died, with casualties totaling 113,828 since the outbreak of the war on October 7, 2023, provoked by Hamas-led attacks that resulted in over 1,100 fatalities in Israel and over 250 hostages taken.
Source
news.un.org