COGAT added that no fuel or gas will be allowed into the enclave, except when related to humanitarian needs.
At a news conference on Tuesday, Olga Cherevko, Gaza spokesperson for the U.N. aid coordination office, OCHA, said the agency would continue to encourage the two sides to adhere to the agreements set out in the ceasefire agreement.
“We certainly have high hopes that the bodies of the hostages will be handed over and that the ceasefire will continue to be implemented.“, said.
OCHA is currently implementing a 60-day expansion plan, while thousands of tonnes of aid and humanitarian supplies have entered Gaza in recent days for the first time in months.
Aid increased
“Since the ceasefire plan came into effect, the UN and our humanitarian partners have been able move more freely through parts of Gaza from which Israeli forces have withdrawn, without coordination with Israeli authorities”said UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq at the daily press briefing in New York.
He listed a number of advances in aid, including the installation of a solar panel for a desalination unit, new telecommunications hardware to improve connectivity, the transfer of life-saving medicines by the World Food Program (WFP) and other developments.
He stressed that more can be done: more crossings must be opened, infrastructure must be restored and security guarantees for convoys must be offered.
Landmine risk
Mr. Haq shared an update from the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) referring to the serious risks faced by displaced people and humanitarian workers due to unexploded ordnance, such as landmines, across the devastated Gaza Strip.
Since October last year, UNMAS has removed 550 explosive devices, but that was only in areas they were able to access. Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) officers are assessing the situation and providing guidance to mitigate the risk.
“The ceasefire has ended the fighting, but it has not ended the crisis”said Mrs. Cherevko.
Unexploded ordnance is just one of many challenges that will need to be addressed during the post-conflict period, along with displacement, destruction of infrastructure, collapse of basic services and more.
“Expanding the response is not just about logistics and more trucks. It is about restoring the humanity and dignity of a devastated population,” he added.