Aid access and hospital operations remain constrained in Gaza

Briefing reporters in New York on Wednesday, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said hostilities in parts of the Gaza Strip are still resulting in casualties and repeated disruptions to humanitarian operations.

On Tuesday, the UN and its partners coordinated eight planned humanitarian movements inside Gaza with Israeli authorities. Of those, only one movement was facilitated, while the remaining seven were impeded, denied or cancelled.

Despite the challenges, UN teams managed to collect more than 200 pallets of medicine and five tankers of fuel from the Kerem Shalom/Kerem Abu Salem crossing. Additional tents were also retrieved from the Kissufim crossing.

“Every delivery into Gaza makes a significant difference,” Mr. Dujarric said.

Health system barely functioning

The Spokesperson stressed that Gaza’s health system remains in a state of extreme fragility.

“Not a single hospital in Gaza is fully functional,” he said, noting that only 18 out of the Strip’s 36 hospitals are currently partially operational.

On Monday, teams from the UN World Health Organization (WHO) facilitated the medical evacuation of 33 Palestinians in need of critical care, along with more than 100 companions. However, the scale of unmet medical need remains overwhelming.

“There are still more than 16,500 patients who need to receive medical care outside of Gaza,” Mr. Dujarric said.

WHO continues to call for safe access through all evacuation routes, particularly to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and for medical evacuation convoys to be expedited at crossings.

Maintaining education

Meanwhile, UN agencies continue efforts to sustain essential civilian services. The UN agency assisting Palestine refugees (UNRWA) is maintaining learning activities for displaced children across Gaza.

As of Sunday, UNRWA was operating nearly 350 temporary learning spaces in 64 shelters, providing in-person education for more than 47,000 boys and girls.

Humanitarians also continue to deliver other critical support.

Call for unimpeded access

Mr. Dujarric said the United Nations and its partners stand ready to scale up operations if restrictions are eased.

“We once again call for unimpeded humanitarian access so that teams can reach everyone they need,” he said.

“We and our partners can do much more as soon as restrictions on relief items and aid groups are lifted.”