UN Highlights Urgent Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza
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Synopsis
The UN has raised alarms about the critical humanitarian situation in Gaza, where needs are overwhelming despite a ceasefire, while ongoing Israeli operations in the West Bank continue to result in casualties.
Key Takeaways
- Gaza's humanitarian crisis is critical, demanding immediate support.
- Oxygen supplies are urgently needed in hospitals.
- Over 11,000 families received shelter aid last weekend.
- Education programs are expanding amid extensive school damage.
- The West Bank faces high casualties due to military actions.
The United Nations, Feb 18 (NationPress) reports that the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire, even as a ceasefire persists. Humanitarian efforts are hampered by ongoing Israeli military actions in the West Bank, which continue to result in casualties.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the organization and its partners are striving to provide essential assistance throughout the Gaza Strip, where the demand for help is overwhelming and requires immediate and ongoing support.
OCHA has highlighted that the Palestinian Ministry of Health is urgently needing oxygen supplies to maintain emergency, surgical, and intensive care services in hospitals across Gaza, such as Al Shifa and Al Rantisi located in Gaza City. Health organizations are collaborating with local authorities to procure generators, spare parts, and equipment necessary for local oxygen production, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
The OCHA stated that shelter aid was provided to over 11,000 families in northern Gaza over the weekend. In Khan Younis, around 450 families received kits for sealing-off, kitchen supplies, and hygiene essentials at a displacement site in Al Mawasi.
OCHA mentioned the expansion of educational activities, with partners noting that more than 250,000 individuals are participating in a distance learning initiative launched by the UN's relief agency for Palestinian refugees. Reports indicate that 95 percent of school infrastructures were damaged during hostilities, forcing many students to relocate to makeshift tents and exposed areas despite harsh winter temperatures.
In the West Bank, OCHA reported that since the commencement of Israeli military operations on January 21, the most extensive in two decades, 36 Palestinians have been killed, with 25 fatalities in Jenin and nearly a dozen in Tulkarm. The ongoing operations are leading to high casualty rates and significant displacement, particularly in refugee camps, while critical infrastructure suffers severe damage, intensifying humanitarian needs.
The office reiterated that the application of lethal, war-like tactics during these military operations raises serious concerns regarding the use of force that exceeds acceptable law enforcement standards.
OCHA also reported that Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian communities in various villages within the West Bank's Nablus governorate over the weekend, including setting a house ablaze during one incident. Humanitarian partners are mobilizing to provide aid to the affected populations.
