UNITED NATIONS, Dec 20 : A senior UN official has denounced Israeli authorities for obstructing humanitarian work in the Gaza Strip, stressing that the aid system has been \u201cweaponized.\u201d<\/p>\n
Speaking to correspondents via video link on Thursday, Georgios Petropoulos, the head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) sub-office in Gaza, said, \u201cIsraeli authorities and military seem unwilling to open multiple access points at once,\u201d which he said it hampers the delivery of vital supplies.<\/p>\n
Petropoulos pointed to multiple issues that have slowed down aid deliveries, including strict Israeli restrictions on items, looting of aid in Israeli-controlled areas, and limited access via Israeli checkpoints.<\/p>\n
\u201cMost of the areas in which these lootings happen are under the control of the Israeli forces,\u201d he told reporters.<\/p>\n
Giving a harrowing update on the dire situation in the enclave, Petropoulos described it as \u201cthe most dangerous place on earth right now.\u201d<\/p>\n
The official underscored the grim reality facing over two million people trapped in Gaza, where basic necessities like food, shelter, and safety have become scarce.<\/p>\n
\u201cDying hungry and in pain\u201d is an increasingly likely outcome for children, mothers, aid workers, and teachers alike, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re there to support [the people] who for more than 14 months have struggled to stay alive\u201d, Petropoulos said. \u201cBut we\u2019re not allowed to do our jobs,\u201d he emphasized.<\/p>\n
OCHA has been striving to deliver food, healthcare, and safe drinking water to Gaza\u2019s besieged population, but fuel shortages and blocked access routes have exacerbated the crisis.<\/p>\n
Moreover, these efforts have been opposed by what Petropoulos referred to as \u201cblanket prohibitions\u201d from Israeli authorities.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we raise these things with Israeli authorities, they reject virtually every single practical solution that we table,\u201d Petropoulos said, adding that \u201cthe aid system has been weaponized.\u201d<\/p>\n
He further revealed that aid delivery often becomes a race against time, with insufficient supplies to meet the growing needs of the population.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs an aid worker in Gaza, you\u2019re forced to make horrible decisions,\u201d he described. \u201cShould I let people die of starvation or of the cold? Do we bring in more food to ease hunger or more plastic sheets for some shelter from the rain at night?\u201d, he illustrated.<\/p>\n
North Gaza, under near-total siege for 75 days, has become a site of intensified military operations.<\/p>\n
Petropoulos described chilling reports of mass casualties, the destruction of entire communities, and forced displacements under bombardment.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Israeli corridor bisecting the strip, has been fortified to such a degree that it\u2019s not really a corridor anymore,\u201d he said, noting that 150 requests for humanitarian access have been denied since October.<\/p>\n
Even when supplies manage to reach shelters or hospitals, they are often destroyed in subsequent attacks.<\/p>\n
Petropoulos called on Member States to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law and to ensure the protection of civilians.<\/p>\n
He emphasized the need for a ceasefire and immediate, complete humanitarian access.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to get to people wherever they are,\u201d he said. \u201cWe need to prove the impact of this response based on how people are doing and not the numbers of trucks,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
The UN has consistently warned of the escalating humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, with UN Secretary-General Ant\u00f3nio Guterres urging all parties to respect the principles of international humanitarian law and facilitate aid delivery to those in need.<\/p>\n
As the crisis intensifies, the UN\u2019s humanitarian system in Gaza faces its greatest test yet, operating \u201chand to mouth\u201d with little reserves left.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
UNITED NATIONS, Dec 20 : A senior UN official has denounced Israeli authorities for obstructing humanitarian work in the Gaza Strip, stressing that the aid system has been \u201cweaponized.\u201d Speaking to correspondents via video link on Thursday, Georgios Petropoulos, the head of the UN Office […]<\/p>\n
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