Gaza Herald- The UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric stressed that lifting restrictions on the entry of essential construction materials and equipment is crucial to implement more sustainable solutions.
Dujarric said that Israeli authorities blocked several humanitarian missions’ access into the Gaza Strip, including one targeting a wastewater treatment plant in Khan Younis, restricting aid to civilians in urgent need.
Citing OCHA, Dujarric stated at a news conference that UN teams coordinated eight humanitarian missions, of which five were carried out successfully.
Israeli authorities blocked three humanitarian missions, including one aimed at a wastewater treatment plant in Khan Younis, while the missions that were allowed to proceed managed to deliver food and medical supplies at Kerem Shalom and Karem Abu Salem and oversee aid shipments at Kerem Shalom and Kissufim crossings, the UN official reported.
“It has been four months since the ceasefire agreement took effect, during which the humanitarian scale-up has saved countless lives and helped avert famine in Gaza,” Dujarric said.
He noted that many people in Gaza continue to live in extremely harsh conditions, with humanitarian efforts hampered by restrictions on goods and aid operations, while nearly 1.5 million people—two out of every three Gazans—remain in around 1,000 overcrowded displacement sites and tents offering little privacy or protection from the weather.
UN partners provided aid to over 85,000 families in January, but Dujarric cautioned that lifting restrictions on construction materials is essential for long-term solutions.
