The United Nations has reported that more than 2 million people remain trapped inside the Gaza Strip, as humanitarian supplies continue to run dangerously low.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric stated that the ongoing hostilities, coupled with a severe shortage of aid, have escalated the crisis, especially among children. “The mental health needs are growing by the day,” he said, citing concerns over the psychological toll on the population.
Since Israel imposed a full closure on the entry of cargo including critical humanitarian aid on March 2, supplies have dwindled to alarming levels. Dujarric pointed out that the water sector in Gaza has been heavily affected, with almost 90% of the enclave’s water assets reportedly damaged due to the ongoing conflict.
Dujarric also emphasized Israel’s legal obligations as the occupying power, which include ensuring the availability of food, medical supplies, and public health services, and facilitating the delivery of humanitarian relief.
In addition to the dire situation in Gaza, Dujarric mentioned the displacement of thousands of residents in the West Bank, who remain unable to return to their homes due to Israeli military operations in the northern region.
The humanitarian crisis comes as the conflict continues to claim the lives of Palestinians. Since October 2023, more than 51,000 Palestinians most of them women and children have been killed in the ongoing Israeli airstrikes on Gaza.
