UNRWA warns of ‘catastrophic’ consequences of Gaza siege

AMMAN — The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has warned against the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, now entering its ninth week under a complete Israeli blockade.

In a statement on X platform, UNRWA said thousands of aid trucks are ready to enter Gaza, and its teams on the ground are prepared to expand humanitarian operations, but said Israel has barred the entry of all humanitarian, medical, and commercial supplies since early March to the war-torn Strip.

UNRWA warned that prolonging the siege would have devastating consequences for the already dire conditions faced by countless civilians in the enclave.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) echoed the alarm, stating Saturday that Palestinians in Gaza are "dying under a total Israeli siege for the third consecutive month," in what it described as part of an ongoing campaign of destruction lasting more than 18 months.

According to OCHA, 70 per cent of Gaza’s population is currently either living in areas with a heavy Israeli military presence, under evacuation orders, or both. The agency stressed that the UN and its partners stand ready to scale up aid delivery as soon as the blockade is lifted.

“Palestinians are dying amid a total Israeli siege for the third consecutive month,” OCHA said, describing the crisis in Gaza as a humanitarian emergency in urgent need of international response.