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Israel has denied more than 100 access requests for humanitarian aid to northern Gaza since Oct. 6, U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher said Monday.
Fletcher issued a written statement regarding his visits to the Middle East last week. He detailed meetings with U.N. staff, officials, and communities in Damascus, Homs, Aleppo, Idlib, Ankara, Beirut, Nabatieh, and Amman. He concluded his trip by engaging with humanitarian teams in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Fletcher referenced the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) upcoming provisional measures on the application of the Genocide Convention in Gaza, expected in January 2024. He highlighted the severe conditions in Gaza, stating:
Fletcher pointed out that this situation has caused extreme overcrowding and dire living conditions in southern Gaza. As winter intensifies, humanitarian needs in Gaza are escalating further. He also noted that Israel continues to issue evacuation orders and conduct attacks on densely populated areas.
Displaced Palestinians wait to receive United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) aid, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, March 7, 2024. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem?
A damaged sign is pictured at the headquarters of UNRWA, following an Israeli raid, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, in Gaza City, July 12, 2024. (Reuters Photo)
Despite efforts to deliver aid, Fletcher emphasized that Gaza has become the deadliest and most dangerous location for humanitarian workers over the past year. He stated:
Fletcher warned that the humanitarian situation in the occupied West Bank is also deteriorating. He pointed to the rising death toll, which has reached its highest recorded levels.
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