The United Nations has warned that essential supplies in the Gaza Strip are running dangerously low as a funding shortfall and continued restrictions on humanitarian operations prevent aid agencies from adequately replenishing stocks.

UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said humanitarian partners were facing severe difficulties in maintaining sufficient supplies for Gaza’s civilian population, which continues to endure the devastating consequences of the conflict.

Speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday evening, Dujarric said Israeli airstrikes and other attacks were continuing to hit populated areas, putting civilians at risk and causing further destruction of homes and other property.

He highlighted an Israeli airstrike on Tuesday that struck a building in the Al-Bureij refugee camp near Deir al-Balah. The building housed two UN schools being used as temporary shelters for displaced Palestinians, as well as a UN-supported bakery.

According to UN humanitarian partners, the attack left around 100 families without their homes and possessions, further deepening the humanitarian crisis facing displaced Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

The incident has also raised renewed concerns over the safety of facilities providing shelter and essential services to civilians who have been repeatedly displaced by Israeli military operations.

Dujarric reiterated the UN’s call for all parties to respect international humanitarian law and protect civilians and civilian infrastructure at all times.

He specifically stressed that shelters, humanitarian facilities and other civilian objects must be protected from attack.

The UN warning comes as Gaza’s humanitarian crisis continues to worsen, with aid agencies facing major challenges in delivering and replenishing essential supplies amid restrictions on humanitarian access and inadequate funding.

For Palestinians in Gaza, the continued attacks and shortages add to the suffering of a population that has endured repeated displacement, widespread destruction and the loss of access to basic necessities.

The United Nations has repeatedly stressed that humanitarian assistance must be allowed to reach civilians safely and without obstruction, while civilian lives and infrastructure must be protected. (ILKHA)