– Overall, we at the UN can say that we have not seen any impact on the humanitarian supplies that come in, says Richard Peeperkorn, the UN agency’s representative in the Palestinian territories, on Friday.
More than eight months of war, which was triggered by the terror-labeled Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, has led to dire humanitarian conditions in the Palestinian territory with several warnings of famine and outright starvation.
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On Friday, the head of a major hospital in northern Gaza warned that around 250 malnourished children are being cared for, and that the number is rising daily due to acute food shortages.
High temperatures
Richard Peeperkorn also warns that the warm weather will cause major problems.
– The high temperatures already lead to drinking water being contaminated and food spoiling faster. In addition, we will see more dehydration and also heatstroke.
IDF behind the break
During the course of the war, Israel has received harsh criticism for preventing the supply of supplies to Gaza. According to the UN, deliveries have slowed down as the Israeli military IDF has to give permission for trucks to cross the border crossings.
The “tactical pauses” in the Israeli offensive are supposed to apply daily between 08:00 and 19:00 in order to allow in more humanitarian aid. The decision must have been made by the Israeli military and not at a political level. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sharply criticized the measure, calling it “unacceptable”.