Gaza on Saturday received 20 trucks of its first, but limited shipment of life-saving humanitarian supplies from the the United Nations and The Egyptian Red Crescent passing through the Rafah Crossing as the conflict between Isreali and Palestinian continues.
In a joint statement by UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, WFP and WHO on humanitarian supplies crossing into Gaza as more than 1.6 million people in Gaza are in critical need of humanitarian aid while children, pregnant women and the elderly remain the most vulnerable.
It stated that the humanitarian supplies will provide an urgently needed lifeline to some of the hundreds of thousands of civilians, mostly women and children, who have been cut off from water, food, medicine, fuel and other essentials.
“With so much civilian infrastructure in Gaza damaged or destroyed in nearly two weeks of constant bombings, including shelters, health facilities, water, sanitation, and electrical systems, time is running out before mortality rates could skyrocket due to disease outbreaks and lack of health-care capacity.
“Hospitals are overwhelmed with casualties. Civilians face mounting challenges in accessing essential food supplies. Health facilities no longer have fuel and are running on small amounts they have secured locally.
“These are expected to run out in the next day or so. Water production capacity is at 5 per cent of normal levels. Pre-positioned humanitarian supplies have already been depleted. Vulnerable people are at greatest risk and children are dying at an alarming rate and being denied their right to protection, food, water and health care.
“Nearly one-third of the population of Palestine was food insecure before this conflict in Gaza. Today stocks in shops are nearly exhausted and bakeries are closing, while tens of thousands of people displaced and unable to cook or safely purchase food”, they added.
UN Agencies called for a humanitarian ceasefire, along with immediate, unrestricted humanitarian access throughout Gaza to allow humanitarian actors to reach civilians in need, save lives and prevent further human suffering.
Flows of humanitarian aid must be at scale and sustained, and allow all Gazans to preserve their dignity. We call for safe and sustained access to water, food, health – including sexual and reproductive health – and fuel, which is necessary to enable essential services.
Also called for the protection of all civilians and civilian infrastructure in Gaza, including health-care facilities. We call for the protection of humanitarian workers in Gaza who are risking their lives in the service of others.
“And we call for the utmost respect of international humanitarian law by all parties. Gaza was a desperate humanitarian situation before the most recent hostilities. It is now catastrophic. The world must do more”, the joint statement said.