GAZA: Food distribution in Rafah, in southern Gaza, has been suspended, according to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), because of a shortage of supplies and insecurity in the heavily populated area.
In a statement on Tuesday, UNRWA stated that just seven of its twenty-four health centres were operating and that, as a result of “closures/disruptions” at the Rafah and Karem Abu Salem crossings into Gaza (known as Kerem Shalom in Israel), the organization had not received any medical supplies in the previous ten days.
Since Israel took control of and blocked the Palestinian side of the Rafah land crossing with Egypt earlier this month, the humanitarian situation in the besieged enclave has gotten worse.
Since May 7, the crucial crossing—which had functioned as a main route for life-saving aid and a point of entry and departure for humanitarian workers—has been shuttered.
Edem Wosornu, a senior UN relief official, informed the UN Security Council on Monday that there wasn’t enough gasoline or supplies to offer the Gazan people any kind of significant assistance.
“We are running out of words to describe what is happening in Gaza. We have described it as a catastrophe, a nightmare, as hell on earth. It is all of these, and worse,” she said.
According to her, entry at the Karem Abu Salem border from Israel was restricted because of “hostilities, challenging logistical conditions, and complex coordination procedures,” and the closing of the Rafah crossing from Egypt had halted the supply of at least 82,000 tonnes of supplies.
According to Wosornu, the UN has declared a famine in northern Gaza and the newly opened Erez West crossing “is now being used for limited quantities of aid, but now areas in the vicinity of this crossing are also under evacuation orders.” The Beit Hanoon (Erez) crossing was closed on May 9 and the UN has warned of an impending famine there.
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