The situation in the northern Gaza Strip is “apocalyptic” as Israel pursues a military offensive against Hamas militants in the area, top United Nations officials have warned.
“The entire Palestinian population in north Gaza is at imminent risk of dying from disease, famine and violence,” they said in a statement on Friday signed by the heads of UN agencies, including the UN children’s agency Unicef and the World Food Programme, and other aid groups.
Israel began a wide military push in northern Gaza last month. The United States has said it was watching to ensure that its ally’s actions on the ground show it does not have a “policy of starvation” in the north.
But on Friday, the UN officials said humanitarian efforts could not keep up with the scale of the needs in northern Gaza, due to constraints on access for aid workers.
“Basic, life-saving goods are not available. Humanitarians are not safe to do their work and are blocked by Israeli forces and by insecurity from reaching people in need,” they said.
They urged all parties fighting in Gaza to protect civilians and called on Israel to “ceases its assault on Gaza and on the humanitarians trying to help”.
Israel’s UN mission in New York declined to comment on the statement.
Israel’s UN ambassador, Danny Danon, last month told the security council that the issue in Gaza was not a lack of aid, saying more than a million tons had been delivered during the past year. He accused Hamas of hijacking the assistance.
Hamas has repeatedly denied Israeli allegations that it was stealing aid and says Israel is to blame for shortages.
On Monday, the Palestinian Civil Emergency Service said about 100,000 people were marooned in Jabalia, Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza without medical or food supplies. Reuters could not verify the number independently.
The USAid administrator, Samantha Power, spoke with Israel’s ambassador to the United States on Friday as a deadline imposed by Washington looms for Israel to improve the situation or face potential restrictions on US military aid.
Power and Herzog “discussed the need to get more aid to the Palestinian people”, said a USAid spokesperson, Benjamin Suarato, adding: “Administrator Power raised serious concern on the humanitarian conditions in northern Gaza.”
The United States told Israel in a letter on 13 October that it must take steps within 30 days.
