Ms. Boucly had a conversation with Khaled Mohamed from UN News after learning about new Israeli airstrikes in Gaza. According to a report from UNRWA, more children have died in Gaza in the past few months than in four years of conflict across the globe.

The agency announced on Wednesday that one of their employees was killed and 22 others were injured when Israeli forces targeted a food distribution center in the eastern part of Rafah, located on the southern border of the Strip.

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This interview has been modified for the sake of providing a clearer and shorter version.

Natalie Boucly: The conflict has displaced approximately 1.7 million individuals in Gaza, with the majority located in Rafah. About 1 million of these individuals have taken refuge in schools and other facilities provided by UNRWA, with each shelter housing an average of 30,000 people.

The population is facing a literal siege, with people crammed together. This leads to numerous problems with cleanliness, as there is a strong odor in Gaza from the sewage that is being dumped into the ocean and causes a rise in diseases. The desperation and hopelessness in the area is evident.

At the same time, I was full of admiration for our staff. UNWRA has been around for 3,000 employees who still work, day in and day out, providing services to the population. Six health centres are still operational, and we’ve got mobile teams going to the shelters giving 23,000 medical consultations every day. 

Some of our coworkers have been forced to leave their homes. The destruction of their houses and the loss of their loved ones have resulted in them living in tents. Nevertheless, they continue to wake up every day and fulfill their duties for the community.

According to UN News, there are increasing reports of children succumbing to dehydration and starvation. What is your response to this?

I noticed that there is a lack of assistance being provided. Prior to the conflict, an average of 500 trucks entered Gaza, many of which were from private or commercial sources.

Currently, there is a small amount of aid being delivered due to difficult conditions and circumstances. The checkpoints and controls greatly hinder the distribution of aid. Getting aid to the people in Gaza is particularly challenging, especially in the northern areas, due to security concerns. There have been instances of looting by criminal gangs due to the desperate situation of the population.

Additional assistance must be delivered on a large scale, along with another period of humanitarian interruption or truce.

© UNICEF/Eyad El Baba

A female stands in the presence of her dwelling situated in the urban area of Rafah.

According to UN News, women in Gaza are still facing the greatest impact of this conflict. Can you explain the actions taken by UNWRA to assist these women?

Natalie Boucly discusses how women in Gaza take on the roles of caring for their children, the elderly, and their parents. As a result, they often rely on seeking medical advice from doctors. Additionally, there is a significant number of pregnant women in Gaza, estimated at 60,000. However, due to limited resources and restrictions from Israel, access to necessary medical equipment and electricity, such as generators and solar power, is scarce.

We collaborate with partners to supply women with hygiene kits and support them in shelters. Our dedicated team strives to provide as much protection as possible for women, as the likelihood of gender-based violence increases in overcrowded living conditions.

According to UN News, how has the halt in funding affected the situation following the accusations by Israel that approximately twelve UNRWA employees were involved in the Hamas attacks on October 7th?

Natalie Boucly stated that approximately $500 million in funding was put on hold. Sixteen nations chose to temporarily stop or delay their donations to UNWRA. While some have returned to contributing and others never stopped, a few have even increased their contributions. The support of those who returned, specifically the EU, Canada and Sweden, allowed us to continue our operations.

The freeze had consequences beyond Gaza. For instance, obtaining medication for cancer patients in Lebanon and ensuring children’s education may become more difficult. We are diligently collaborating with our donors to find ways for them to resume support and play a crucial and indispensable role in this humanitarian emergency.

Possible Reword: What are your thoughts on the recent attempts to provide humanitarian assistance through ship and airdrop methods?

Natalie Boucly: The demand is overwhelming, so any means of providing assistance are greatly appreciated. However, airdrops are very costly and the maritime route poses logistical and security concerns.

We strongly advocate for land transportation as the most secure and cost-effective method: we urge Israel to open more land crossings and channel more aid through the Kerem Shalom crossing. We also continue to urge Israel, both as the occupier of Gaza and as a UN member state, to uphold international laws.

The UNRWA has initiated a Ramadan campaign to provide emergency food aid for Gaza. All contributions will be used exclusively for aiding those in need. Learn how you can donate by clicking the link below.

Source: news.un.org