Senior United Nations officials warned on Friday that the situation in the northern Gaza Strip is “dire” as Israel continues its military offensive against Hamas militants in the area.
“The entire Palestinian population in northern Gaza is at imminent risk of death from disease, famine and violence,” they said in a statement signed by acting UN relief chief Joyce Msuya, the heads of UN agencies, including the UN children’s agency UNICEF and the world. Food Program, and other aid groups.
Israel began a large-scale military campaign in northern Gaza last month. The United States said it is monitoring the situation to ensure that its ally’s actions on the ground show that it is not pursuing a “starvation policy” in the north.
“Humanitarian aid cannot keep up with the scale of needs due to access restrictions. Basic life-saving goods are not available. Humanitarian workers are not safe to do their work, and Israeli forces and insecurity prevent them from reaching those in need,” they said.
They urged all warring parties in Gaza to protect civilians, and called on Israel to “stop its attack on Gaza and on humanitarian workers trying to help.”
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The Israeli mission to the United Nations in New York declined to comment on the statement. Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, told the Security Council last month that the issue in Gaza was not related to a lack of aid, saying that more than a million tons had been delivered over the past year. Hamas was accused of hijacking the aid.
Hamas has repeatedly denied Israeli allegations that it is stealing aid and says Israel is responsible for the shortfall.
The Palestinian Civil Emergency Service said on Monday that about 100,000 people were stranded in Jabalia, Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza without medical or food supplies. Reuters was unable to independently verify the number.
USAID Administrator Samantha Power spoke with Israel’s Ambassador to the United States Michael Herzog on Friday as a deadline imposed by Washington for Israel to improve the situation or face possible restrictions on US military aid approached.
USAID spokesman Benjamin Suarato said that Power and Herzog “discussed the need to deliver more aid to the Palestinian people,” adding that “the Power administration has raised serious concerns about the humanitarian conditions in northern Gaza.”
The United States informed Israel in a letter dated October 13 that it must take steps within 30 days.
—Michelle Nichols reports. Edited by Alistair Bell
