GAZA CITY: The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees sounded the alarm on Thursday, stating that hundreds of thousands of lives are at risk in north and central Gaza due to severe food shortages amid ongoing relentless Israeli bombardment and ground offensive. UNRWA commissioner-general Philippe Lazzarini highlighted that the agency’s last delivery of supplies to the area was over two weeks ago, on January 23.
Lazzarini revealed that other humanitarian aid agencies have also encountered hurdles in providing relief to the Palestinian territory, which has been subjected to bombardment by Israel since October 7. He emphasized the critical situation, stating that at least 300,000 people in northern Gaza are dependent on UN assistance for their survival.
The ongoing blockade imposed by Israel has exacerbated the dire conditions, with residents of north and central Gaza ordered to relocate south following the October 7 attack. While a significant portion of Gaza’s population has crowded into the city of Rafah in the south, many others remain in Wadi Gaza, in the center, and the north.
Gaza Turning into Wasteland of Hunger and Despair
Georgios Petropoulos, head of the UN humanitarian agency OCHA in Gaza, described the territory as descending into a “wasteland of hunger and despair.” He highlighted the challenges faced by aid agencies, noting that even the few trucks that manage to enter Gaza are overwhelmed by locals, some of whom are on the brink of starvation.
World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit organization providing food aid, echoed concerns about limited access to north Gaza, reporting that they can only reach the area a few times each week. In response to the worsening humanitarian crisis, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made a renewed plea for increased aid to Gaza during his recent visit to the region.
Lazzarini emphasized the urgency of the situation, stressing that political will is needed to reverse the blockade and ensure the delivery of lifesaving humanitarian aid. However, Israel maintains that the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas, which governs Gaza, is diverting aid for its own purposes, prolonging the ongoing conflict in the region.
