During a routine news briefing in New York, UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq expressed concern that despite the announced pauses, casualties and deaths due to hunger and malnutrition persist. He noted that parents are striving to save their starving children and highlighted inadequate conditions for aid delivery. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stated that while using every opportunity to deliver supplies during the pauses, the need far exceeds what is being delivered. Farhan Haq emphasized the urgent necessity of a permanent ceasefire, as unilateral tactical pauses are insufficient for the continuous flow of essential supplies to meet the vast needs in Gaza.
Access remains a significant obstacle. Entry through the Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem crossing requires several levels of approval from Israeli authorities, like safe passage, halting bombardment, and unlocking gates. Haq mentioned that while some missions succeeded in collecting food and transferring fuel, others faced delays and one was canceled due to Israeli authorities’ actions.
The situation was corroborated by Ricardo Pires, UNICEF’s communication manager, who recently visited Gaza. He described the situation as “apocalyptic,” with children injured and killed while seeking food and aid amidst malnutrition and hunger. He pointed out that two out of three criteria for famine declaration have been met. UNICEF and other agencies are also contending with collapsing infrastructure.
Pires warned of an impending man-made drought, with only 40 percent of water production operational. Children resort to contaminated sources, risking diseases. He stated that children are dehydrated and turning to contaminated water leads to illness, deadly diseases, diarrhea outbreaks, and in some cases, meningitis. He concluded that children are facing a “perfect storm of suffering.”
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