Israeli strikes on Gaza continue to worsen an already dire humanitarian crisis, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric warned. With 83% of Gaza City's structures damaged and approximately 81,000 housing units destroyed, civilians face severe food and shelter shortages. Many remain trapped in the north amid insecurity, forced to sleep outdoors and struggle for survival. Over the last two years, around 42,000 Palestinians have suffered serious injuries, with one in four being children, and more than 5,000 amputations recorded, according to the World Health Organization.
00:00In Gaza, and our colleagues at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tell us that Israeli military operations have continued,
00:07including in the Rimal and Zaytun neighborhoods in Gaza City, making the already dire humanitarian situation even more perilous.
00:15In the last two years, nearly 42,000 Palestinians have suffered major, potentially life-changing injuries in Gaza.
00:24One in four of those injured are children, and more than 5,000 amputations have been recorded.
00:30That's according to our colleagues at the World Health Organization.
00:35Meanwhile, our partners on the ground report that many people are unable to leave the North due to insecurity.
00:40People are sleeping out in the open and struggling to survive amid severe food and shelter shortages.
00:47Today, the UN Satellite Center published a preliminary analysis showing that the extent of damage in Gaza City alone encompasses 83% of the structures.
00:59About 81,000 housing units have been damaged.
01:02It's about Susan Talek, who is the UN Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
01:12And they talked in their investigative report to at least 10, I think, 11 aid workers, UN high officials also.
01:24And they are saying that Ms. Talek has allowed Israeli authorities to manipulate the aid response, failed to push back against growing restrictions, uncritically repeated Israeli talking points, and offended Palestinian colleagues and community members, including by blaming them for the aid shortages.
01:49So, do you have any comments?
01:50First of all, we fully support Ms. Talek's work in Gaza.
01:57Our humanitarian colleagues and the leadership of the UN's operation in Gaza operates in an extremely difficult political situation.
02:09Our discussions with the Israeli authorities on trying to get more aid in is not a discussion among equals.
02:20One side holds much more power than the other.
02:23We continue to try to exploit the space that is given to us for humanitarian operations.
02:30Even though it's gotten a bit bigger in the last few weeks, it is not nearly enough.
02:38And we will continue to advocate and push and try to get as much aid in as we are allowed.
02:47There was another Israeli interception, I believe, this morning about flotilla.
02:55Any reaction to that?
02:56I mean, all, as we've said before with the various flotillas is we want to make sure that everyone is safe.
Be the first to comment