Gaza: Life-saving aid operations continue despite restrictions

Gaza: Life-saving aid operations continue despite restrictions
Gaza: Life-saving aid operations continue despite restrictions

The United Nations said its teams attempted to coordinate eight humanitarian missions on Friday and five were fully facilitated.

The remaining three, which included a mission to reach a water treatment plant in Khan Younis, were rejected by Israel.

Save lives, defeat hunger

Successful missions collected food and medical supplies at the Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem junction. Teams also monitored humanitarian cargo at the Kissufim and Kerem Shalom loading docks.

Speaking in New York, UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric noted that it has been four months since the ceasefire agreement in Gaza came into effect, and that expanded humanitarian aid has saved countless lives and rolled back famine.

However, many people still “live in extremely harsh conditions and the humanitarian response continues to face significant obstacles, especially to the entry of goods and the ability of humanitarian partners to operate,” he added.

Durable housing solutions needed

Nearly 1.5 million people – or two out of every three Palestinians in Gaza – remain in 1,000 displacement sites across the Strip and in tents.

Hundreds of families have also taken shelter in damaged buildings, which are at risk of collapsing.

Humanitarian actors continue to provide the population with tents, tarps, mattresses, clothing and other items, reaching more than 85,000 families in January alone.

“But these items offer limited protection and their useful life is short,” Dujarric said.

“To deliver more durable solutions, restrictions on the entry of essential construction materials and equipment must be lifted.”

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