Israel Closes Main Egypt-Palestine Crossing, UN Agency: Famine in Gaza Difficult to Prevent

JAKARTA - The closure of two main crossings into the southern Gaza Strip from Egypt has almost cut off the Palestinian enclave from outside aid, while aid supplies inside are few, UN agencies said on Tuesday.

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs spokesman Jens Laerke told reporters that Israel had closed the Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings to aid and people as part of its military operation in Rafah, where around 1 million displaced people were taking shelter.

"The two main routes for delivering aid to Gaza are currently cut off," said Laerke, adding that UN agencies have very little stock in the Gaza Strip, as humanitarian supplies are quickly running out, as reported by Reuters, May 8.

The enclave only has one day's supply of fuel, he continued.

"If no fuel comes in for a long period of time, this would be a very effective way to end humanitarian operations," Laerke said.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the World Health Organization (WHO) answered journalists' questions, there were no exceptions for sick and injured patients.

Although some non-fuel supplies have entered Gaza via the northern Erez crossing in recent days, UN agencies say they are insufficient and difficult to deliver to Rafah because it means crossing an active combat zone.

"Erez will not be enough," explained James Elder, spokesman for the UN children's agency (UNICEF).

"If the Rafah gate is closed for a long period of time, it is difficult to see how famine in Gaza can be prevented," he stressed.

UN agencies say they have prepared some aid in Rafah, but supplies of water and high-energy nutrients needed to care for malnourished children are in short supply.

Separately, the Israeli military said the limited operation in Rafah was intended to kill fighters and dismantle infrastructure used by Hamas, which rules the besieged Palestinian territory.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Tuesday that it had taken over operational control of the Rafah Crossing in the southern part of Gaza, which borders Egypt and plays an important role in the delivery of aid and the exit of people injured in the Gaza war.

The Israeli military continued, its troops scanned the area in the morning after launching ground and air operations in the eastern part of Rafah on Monday evening.

It is known that long before the latest Hamas-Israel conflict broke out on October 7, the UN had repeatedly accused Israel of limiting access to aid despite warnings of famine.

Facing growing international pressure, Israel has vowed to improve access, but says UN agencies are to blame for not distributing aid more efficiently in the enclave.