The United Nations is urging Israel to bolster protections for aid workers and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Gaza amid rising concerns over severe food insecurity.
On Tuesday, U.N. spokesman Stéphane Dujarric emphasized the need for Israeli authorities to take greater action to protect aid workers in the Gaza Strip and ensure that essential supplies reach those in need. U.N. agencies are encountering significant obstacles in delivering food and other basic necessities.
A report issued on Monday by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (I.P.C.)—a coalition of U.N. bodies and relief agencies—warned that Gaza faces a high risk of famine. The report highlighted that nearly 500,000 people, representing almost a quarter of Gaza’s population, are at risk of starvation.
In response to the growing crisis, a senior U.N. security official contacted the Israeli authority responsible for aid coordination in Gaza on Monday, pressing for increased protection measures for humanitarian workers. This followed a letter from the U.N.’s humanitarian coordinator earlier in the month, which made similar appeals.
Israeli authorities have pushed back against accusations of inadequate support. On social media, the Israeli agency overseeing Gaza aid directed a post at the U.N.’s World Food Program, showcasing a photo of supplies waiting at an offloading area. The post urged the U.N. to “stop making excuses and start playing your role as a humanitarian food organization.”
The I.P.C. report noted a recent increase in food deliveries to northern Gaza but stressed the urgency of ramping up aid due to the dire humanitarian conditions.
Safety concerns for aid workers are escalating. The U.N.’s World Food Program halted aid deliveries from a U.S.-built pier off Gaza’s coast earlier this month after its warehouses were hit during an Israeli operation to rescue hostages. The operation resulted in numerous Palestinian casualties, including women and children. The U.N. declared Gaza the most dangerous place in the world for aid workers last week, with around 250 aid workers, including nearly 200 from UNRWA, killed since the conflict began on October 7.
The suspension of deliveries from the pier has caused aid to accumulate, raising fears that the U.N. might have to suspend other operations. Dujarric underscored the increasing risks to aid workers, citing Israeli strikes on hospitals and areas that were supposed to be “de-conflicted” zones. The Israeli military has stated that these locations were being used by Hamas militants.
“The risks, frankly, are becoming increasingly intolerable,” Dujarric stated, emphasizing the priority of supporting millions of Palestinian civilians dependent on humanitarian aid. He added that the U.N. continually assesses the security situation to operate as safely as possible.
Juliette Touma, spokeswoman for UNRWA, described the humanitarian operation in Gaza as “one of the most cumbersome and complex in the world right now,” underscoring the challenging environment aid workers face in delivering crucial support.
