World must act with urgency to save Palestinians in Gaza,
Statement by heads of OCHA, UNICEF, UNOPS, UNRWA, WFP and WHO
More than 2.1 million people are trapped, bombed and starved again, while, at crossing points, food, medicine, fuel and shelter supplies are piling up, and vital equipment is stuck.
Over 1000 children have reportedly been killed or injured in just the first week after the breakdown of the ceasefire, the highest one-week death toll among children in Gaza in the past year.
Just a few days ago, the 25 bakeries supported by the World Food Programme during the ceasefire had to close due to flour and cooking gas shortages.
The partially functional health system is overwhelmed. Essential medical and trauma supplies are rapidly running out, threatening to reverse hard-won progress in keeping the health system operational.
The latest ceasefire allowed us to achieve in 60 days what bombs, obstruction and lootings prevented us from doing in 470 days of war: life-saving supplies reaching nearly every part of Gaza.
While this offered a short respite, assertions that there is now enough food to feed all Palestinians in Gaza are far from the reality on the ground, and commodities are running extremely low.
We are witnessing acts of war in Gaza that show an utter disregard for human life.
New Israeli displacement orders have forced hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to flee yet again, with no safe place to go.
No one is safe. At least 408 humanitarian workers, including over 280 from UNRWA, have been killed since October 2023.
With the tightened Israeli blockade on Gaza now in its second month, we appeal to world leaders to act – firmly, urgently and decisively – to ensure the basic principles of international humanitarian law are upheld.
Protect civilians. Facilitate aid. Release hostages. Renew a ceasefire.
Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator
Catherine Russell, Executive Director, UNICEF
Jorge Moreira da Silva, Executive Director, UNOPS
Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General, UNRWA
Cindy McCain, Executive Director, WFP
Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO
Amy Pope, Director-General, IOM
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