The heads of six UN agencies have issued a heartfelt plea for immediate action to assist the people of Gaza. With all deliveries blocked by Israel for over a month, the statement emphasizes that Palestinians are facing severe shortages of essential supplies, describing them as "trapped, bombed, and starved." Since March 2, following the expiration of a truce, Israel has halted entries of humanitarian aid, claiming there is enough food in the region, a statement contradicted by the UN’s findings.
UN officials highlighted the devastating impact of the blockade, stating that Gaza's health system is crumbling, hospitals are running low on critical medical supplies, and bakeries have completely shut down. They called on world leaders to uphold international humanitarian laws to protect civilians and facilitate necessary aid while negotiating a renewed ceasefire.
The conflict escalated after Hamas's unprecedented assault on Israel on October 7, which led to the deaths of over 1,200 individuals and the taking of around 251 hostages. Since then, it is reported that over 50,810 Palestinians have lost their lives due to the ongoing Israeli military operations. The UN’s joint statement urges urgent global support to avert further tragedy and ensure humanitarian relief reaches those in desperate need.
