THE Israeli military has continued its intensive land, air and sea aggression on northern Gaza for 60 days now, during which 2,400 of the 3,700 people killed or missing are still buried under the rubble.
During the offensive, the Israeli forces have also detained 1,750 people.
Gaza’s Media Office reported: ‘The occupation also targeted and prevented the work of civil defence crews in the governorate, in addition to its destruction of vital sectors,’ most notably the health sector and water networks.
The condition of the sanitation facilities, infrastructure and road networks has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in northern Gaza, and the region is ‘disaster-stricken in every sense of the word’.
Philippe Lazzarini, head of the United Nations aid agency UNRWA for Palestinian refugees said it ‘remains the backbone of humanitarian response’ in Gaza.
The UN agency recently announced it was stopping aid deliveries to Gaza from the key Karem Abu Salem crossing between Israel and Gaza due to the deteriorating security situation.
UNRWA says humanitarian aid reaching Gaza for the past year of war has been ‘nowhere near enough’ for its 2.2 million population and: ‘While attacks continue, people, including children, are facing hunger, living in shelters and tents, and relying on humanitarian aid.’
According to its count, only 65 aid trucks per day have been able to enter Gaza this past month, compared with a pre-war average of 500.
International aid organisations have repeatedly raised alarm over the deteriorating conditions in Gaza, warning that civilians are on the brink of famine.
They have said aid shipments reaching the enclave are now at their lowest since the start of the war.
• Gaza’s Health Ministry said 37 Palestinians were killed and 108 wounded in the latest 24-hour reporting period.