Muhammad Hadi, coordinator of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Disaster Relief in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian Territory, said Thursday that the lives of nearly 2 million people in Gaza now hang by a thread.
He said that bakeries are closing rapidly due to the acute shortage of flour and fuel in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli authorities have not allowed any commercial imports into the Gaza Strip for the past six weeks.
Increase in looting
Mohamed Hadi said armed groups looting humanitarian aid convoys and attacking truck drivers have almost halted the flow of aid from border areas to people in need.
These are increasing in the law and order environment.
Common people are unable to get help and materials even to meet their basic needs, due to which they are close to extreme poverty.
UN trucks have been looted 74 times so far, including 15 since November 4, and looters have forced entry into UN bases 34 times.
Muhammad Hadi said that last week, a truck driver was hospitalized along with another driver after he was shot in the head.
“Last Saturday, 98 trucks were looted in a single attack, some trucks were also damaged and some were stolen.”
He said that while UN aid agencies are determined to continue their work, “our ability to carry out this responsibility is being questioned.”
Mohammad Hadi said there is an urgent need to restore the rule of law to ensure safe and uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid.