UNITED NATIONS: Living conditions in Gaza continue to worsen, with reports of an increase in diarrhea and suspected cases of Hepatitis-A, United Nations humanitarian officials warned Thursday.
The UN agency assisting Palestine refugees (UNRWA) is continuing to provide healthcare as best it can but limited sanitation services and overcrowded shelters, coupled with forced displacement, are posing severe health risks, the agency said in a statement on X.
Moreover, safe water is unaffordable for many, and people are resorting to burning trash to cook with, the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) added.
There are also serious concerns that humanitarian operations in the area “are near collapse”.
The UN World Food Programme (WFP) warned in a bulletin that if food and humanitarian assistance do not begin to enter Gaza in “massive quantities”, hunger and desperation will spread.
No Food Distributions in South of Gaza
It said that the limited functionality of the southern border crossings, important arteries for getting aid in, means that barely any fuel or assistance is getting into any part of Gaza. There are currently no food distributions taking place in the south of enclave except for some limited stocks that are provided to community kitchens for hot meals.
All bakeries in Rafah have closed down. However, as of Wednesday, the agency was still able to support 6 bakeries in central Gaza, 4 in Gaza City and one in Jabalia.
