Doha: The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned that as Israeli aggression continues and hunger worsens in Gaza, people are risking their lives to secure enough food and essential items permitted into the Strip.
According to Qatar News Agency, OCHA reported incidents of dozens of individuals being killed or injured at an aid distribution center, with serious injuries among those seeking aid continuing to be reported over the past week.
The office explained that although a small quantity of fuel entered Gaza through the Kerem Abu Salem crossing, the severe fuel shortage threatens the shutdown of critical operations, such as hospitals, medical services and equipment, communications, water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities.
It noted that after four months of sweeping Israeli restrictions on humanitarian aid entry into Gaza, almost all displacement sites report that people are sleeping in the open without protection.
OCHA emphasized the urgent need for hundreds of thousands of liters of fuel daily to alleviate the crisis, highlighting that UN partners recently rehabilitated a well to tackle the acute water shortage.
The office noted that the well rehabilitation will supply hundreds of cubic meters of water daily to patients and medical staff, but this remains insufficient to meet the broader needs of the population.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza is becoming increasingly dire due to Israel’s obstruction of humanitarian aid entry, ongoing bombardment across all areas, and the destruction of remaining medical facilities, service infrastructure, and shelters for displaced persons.