United Nations: The entry of aid into Gaza does not prevent famine

Two agencies affiliated with the United Nations warned of the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, confirming that the amounts of aid being introduced are "much less" than what is needed to prevent the spread of famine, and that Israeli policies are the direct cause of this crisis.

This came during a briefing in Geneva, where the spokesperson for the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Thumain Al-Khaitan, said: "This situation is a direct result of the Israeli government's policy of obstructing the arrival of humanitarian aid." He added, clarifying the scale of the shortfall: "The amounts of aid that have entered the sector in recent weeks are much less than what is needed to prevent the spread of famine."

Al-Khaitan pointed to the continued recording of hunger-related deaths, including children, at a time when the region is experiencing military escalation. He also noted that the process of obtaining aid itself "can be deadly," pointing out that United Nations data indicates that 1,857 Palestinians have been killed since May 27 while trying to obtain food, most of them by Israeli army gunfire near the "Gaza Humanitarian Foundation" sites or on truck routes.

For his part, the spokesperson for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Jens Laerke, highlighted the worsening displacement crisis, holding the Israeli ban on the entry of shelter materials responsible for exacerbating the suffering. He said: "The situation has indeed worsened due to the Israeli ban on the entry of shelter materials."

Laerke explained that this ban has continued for about five months, "during which more than 700,000 Palestinians have been forced to displace again, exacerbating the suffering of families who often have to leave their tents behind each time."

Despite Israel's recent announcement to lift the ban on these materials, Laerke confirmed that "the United Nations and its partners have not yet been able to introduce any materials due to procedural obstacles, including customs permits."

The United Nations estimates that 1.35 million people in Gaza need emergency shelter, while the current tents have become damaged due to the high rate of displacement and harsh weather conditions.

The international organization warned that any Israeli military expansion in the city of Gaza would lead to a new wave of displacement towards already overcrowded areas in the south of the strip, threatening further tragedies for civilians, especially children, women, the injured, and those with special needs.