The United Nations has expressed growing concern over its diminished capacity to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, citing repeated refusals by Israeli authorities to allow access to humanitarian convoys, especially in the northern part of Gaza.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric stated today that only 3 out of 21 life-saving aid shipments managed to reach North Gaza Valley between January 1st and 10th. These missions were intended to deliver medical supplies and fuel for water and sanitation facilities in Gaza City and its northern areas, but were denied entry by Israeli authorities.
Dujarric highlighted a “significant deterioration” in access rates in January compared to December last year. In December, over 70% of planned UN missions to the north were coordinated and executed, whereas the rate dropped to around 14% in the first ten days of January.
“Each day we fail to deliver aid results in life-threatening consequences and suffering for hundreds of thousands of people still in North Gaza,” Dujarric said.
Meanwhile, the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip continues for the 97th consecutive day, with dozens of airstrikes and land and sea bombardments, resulting in severe humanitarian atrocities amounting to war crimes and genocide.
