During a recent virtual press briefing in Geneva, the U.N. Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Palestine, Lynn Hastings, revealed Friday that Israel has unequivocally opposed the delivery of much-needed humanitarian aid to the beleaguered residents of northern Gaza.
"The government of Israel has been clear that they do not want us delivering aid in the north," Hastings said.
This uncompromising stance by Israel has put the lives of 300,000 to 400,000 people in northern Gaza at risk.
The situation is dire, and the consequences are grave.
The issue is not just political; it is deeply human.
"Our staff will have to assume certain security risks if we determine the assistance that we have to be lifesaving and needs to be delivered," she added.
These are brave individuals, ready to brave danger to save lives.
Hastings went on to emphasize the heart-wrenching reality on the ground: "I have said it before that over a million people cannot just pick up and move to the south where there have been repeated bombings, there is no service delivery, there is no shelter there."
This dire situation underscores the urgency of delivering aid to the suffering population in the north.
The humanitarian coordinator pleaded with Israel, saying: "We need to be able to deliver assistance to those people, and we need to be able to deliver assistance to wherever people are in need." The message is clear – the need is urgent, and human lives hang in the balance.
Tragic statistics paint a grim picture.
Since Oct. 7, only 74 trucks have entered Gaza, with an additional eight expected today.
This is a far cry from the 450 trucks that used to cross daily before that date.
The contrast is staggering, highlighting the pressing need for more aid to reach the region.
Before the conflict erupted, 46 trucks of fuel crossed into Gaza every day.
Now, none have crossed since Oct. 7.
This fuel shortage is adding to the already overwhelming crisis in Gaza, impacting electricity, transportation, and essential services.
The conflict in Gaza, which began with Hamas's Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on Oct. 7, has resulted in almost 8,500 lives lost.
Tragically, this includes at least 7,028 Palestinians and 1,400 Israelis.
The conflict shows no sign of abating, and the consequences are felt acutely by those who are most vulnerable.
The commissioner-general of the U.N. Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, has also sounded the alarm about the dire situation in Gaza.
He warned the region is on the brink of a massive health hazard because of the ongoing siege.
Water, food, and medicine are running out, posing an imminent threat to the health and well-being of the population.
Lazzarini, speaking in Jerusalem, stated that a few aid trucks allowed into Gaza are far from sufficient.
A cease-fire is urgently needed as the health sector teeters on the verge of total collapse.
UNRWA has lost at least 57 staff members since Oct. 7, a stark reminder of the high human cost of this crisis.
Lazzarini assured UNRWA follows stringent protocols to ensure aid doesn't fall into the wrong hands, underscoring the importance of maintaining humanitarian assistance in the region.