Gaza starves under siege as Israel blocks aid for seventh week, UNRWA warns
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Güneşli
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Güneşli
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has issued a dire warning over the deepening humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, as Israel continues to block the entry of aid and vital supplies by keeping all border crossings closed for the seventh consecutive week.
In a statement released on Saturday, UNRWA reported that Palestinians in Gaza are once again caught in the grip of starvation and relentless airstrikes, trapped under siege conditions that have prevented the flow of life-saving assistance. “Food, medicine, fuel, and materials for temporary shelter are stockpiled at Gaza’s sealed crossings, unable to reach the civilians who desperately need them,” the agency said.
The closure, which has now persisted for nearly two months, has halted the entry of humanitarian, medical, and commercial supplies, including essential items such as child vaccines and fuel. UNRWA stressed that the people of Gaza are suffering a renewed wave of hunger and deprivation, even as they have yet to recover from the previous crisis triggered by Israel’s 19-month-long restrictions on aid delivery.
“This siege is deepening an already catastrophic situation,” the agency said, characterizing the ongoing Israeli campaign as one of systematic denial and destruction. UNRWA renewed its call for the immediate reopening of Gaza’s border crossings to allow a steady flow of humanitarian aid and emphasized the urgent need for a ceasefire to halt the suffering of Gaza’s besieged civilian population.
The alarm raised by UNRWA was echoed earlier this week by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which stated that Gaza is now facing its worst humanitarian emergency since Israel launched its military onslaught in October 2023.
Over 2 million Palestinians in Gaza continue to live under constant threat of bombardment, malnutrition, and medical collapse, with UN agencies warning that time is running out to prevent a total humanitarian breakdown.
International appeals for an immediate and sustained humanitarian corridor into Gaza have so far been ignored, as Israel maintains its tight grip over all entry points into the enclave. (ILKHA)
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