The U.N. has complained of aid obstacles in Gaza throughout the 15-month-old war [Getty]
The United Nations said on Tuesday it was busy preparing to expand humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip under a potential ceasefire but uncertainty around border access and security in the enclave remain obstacles.
Negotiators in Qatar are hammering out final details of a ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas in Gaza, with mediators and the warring sides all describing a deal as closer than ever. A truce would include a significant increase of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.
The U.N. humanitarian and reconstruction coordinator for Gaza, Sigrid Kaag, met with Israeli and Palestinian ministers in recent days and spoke with the Egyptian foreign minister on Tuesday about U.N. engagement in a ceasefire, U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said.
“The U.N. system as a whole is in intense planning and preparation for when a ceasefire comes into play, and how we can increase the aid,” Dujarric said.
Among the unknowns are what border crossings would be open into Gaza under a truce and how secure the enclave would be for aid distribution since many shipments have been targeted by Israel, armed gangs and looters during the conflict.
“Obviously, things that will continue to be challenging because we don’t have answers to all those questions,” Dujarric said.
The U.N. has complained of aid obstacles in Gaza throughout the 15-month-old war. The UN says Israel and lawlessness in the enclave have impeded the entry and distribution of aid in the war zone.
Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 46,000 Palestinians since October 2023, according to Palestinian health officials.
The military onslaught has laid much of Gaza to waste, and the territory’s prewar population of 2.3 million people has been displaced multiple times, humanitarian agencies say.
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(Reuters)
