The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has announced a temporary suspension of its aid operations in the Gaza Strip due to evacuation orders issued by Israel in central Palestine.

Sam Rose, UNRWA's Director of Planning, shared this development during a virtual press briefing in New York on Monday.

Addressing journalists, Rose detailed the challenging situation for millions of Palestinians who have been displaced by Israel's evacuation orders since early August. He noted that Israel has issued 13 evacuation orders to Gaza, affecting areas designated as humanitarian aid zones, including the town of Deir al-Balah, where the UN's main operations centre is located. These orders have forced UNRWA staff to evacuate rapidly, often leaving equipment behind.

Rose explained that the organization was compelled to suspend aid operations under these conditions, stating: "We are currently unable to carry out deliveries due to the circumstances. Our departure is not due to a lack of need; rather, it is precisely in these dire conditions that polio has recently resurfaced in Gaza."

He emphasized that vaccines have arrived and urged for calm and humanitarian pauses to ensure that vaccination programs can be conducted effectively. (ILKHA)