“The Gaza Strip currently has 23 million tonnes of debris, which will require a significant amount of time and effort to clear. In addition, the rate of acute malnutrition has doubled in just one month.
UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinians, issued a new warning on Friday regarding the ongoing catastrophic humanitarian crisis in the enclave. The agency stated that it will be a lengthy process to restore safety to the region.
According to a post on X, previously known as Twitter, the UN agency stated that over two million Gazans have suffered severe consequences due to repeated Israeli airstrikes, following terrorist actions by Hamas in Israel on October 7.
As the leading humanitarian organization in Gaza, UNWRA remains committed to delivering critical resources and assistance to over 1.5 million displaced individuals in the southern region of the enclave. This includes operating shelters for more than one million individuals and offering vital aid and primary healthcare services.
against
The violence against continues without pause.
Despite heavy Israeli bombardment and ground operations, life-saving humanitarian efforts have persisted, alongside intense fighting between Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups.
The most recent update from the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, discusses the ongoing violence in the Gaza Strip, specifically in the Hamad area of Khan Younis. The conflict continues to lead to harm to civilians, displacement, and damage to homes and other civilian structures.
OCHA noted that mine action partners are now carrying out “assessments of explosive threats” and educating Gazans about the dangers.
“Immediate action is needed for larger assessments. However, efforts have been hindered due to limitations on importing supplies for humanitarian mine clearance and the need for authorization to deploy trained personnel.”
Funding boost
Australia has announced their plan to resume funding for UNRWA, joining other countries in their support after a decrease due to accusations against agency staff for involvement in Hamas-led attacks in Israel on October 7th.
The UN is conducting an in-depth investigation into the allegations, and UNRWA is conducting its own inquiry alongside. Nine members of UNRWA staff were terminated soon after the accusations were made public.
Seaborne aid contribution
On Friday, the NGO vessel Open Arms made progress towards establishing a new maritime passage from Cyprus to Gaza.
The Open Arms ship is stocked with supplies and manned by a compassionate team, prepared to aid those most in need in Gaza.
An open-source satellite detected a vessel anchored near the northern coast of Gaza City on Friday morning. The vessel departed from Larnaca in southern Cyprus on Tuesday carrying 200 tonnes of aid supplies. It is reported that the supplies will be delivered to shore once a jetty is constructed south of Gaza City.
According to reports, the World Central Kitchen, a UN-affiliated partner, and the non-profit organization Open Arms are partnering with the Israeli authorities and other international entities for an initiative involving search and rescue efforts.
UNICEF reports that malnutrition has increased by two-fold in northern Gaza.
UNICEF reported on Friday that double the number of children under the age of two in the Northern Gaza Strip are experiencing acute malnutrition compared to the rate of 15.6 per cent recorded in January.
The problem of malnutrition in children is rapidly spreading and reaching alarming and unprecedented levels.
According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, around 13,450 children have been reported dead due to malnutrition and dehydration in the Northern Gaza Strip during the current conflict. Furthermore, there have been reports of at least 23 more children succumbing to these conditions in recent weeks, further increasing the already high number of child casualties in the region.
The screening for malnutrition in February by UNICEF and its partners in the northern region reported that 4.5 percent of children in shelters and health facilities are experiencing severe wasting, which is the most critical type of malnutrition.
Catherine Russell, Executive Director of UNICEF, expressed shock at the rapid worsening of the child malnutrition crisis in Gaza. She noted that aid is readily available just a short distance away.
“We have made multiple attempts to provide more assistance and have continuously requested for the long-standing access difficulties to be resolved. However, the condition of children continues to deteriorate with each day. Our valuable efforts to offer life-saving aid are being hindered by unnecessary constraints, resulting in the loss of innocent lives.”
Screenings conducted for the first time in Khan Younis, in the middle area of the Gaza Strip, found 28 per cent of children under two have acute malnutrition, more than 10 per cent of which have severe wasting.
Source: news.un.org
