North Gaza's Condition Continues To Worsen, UN Urges Access To Jabalia

JAKARTA - The precarious and dangerous situation continues to worsen in North Gaza and the United Nations (UN) on Friday, October 18 calling for humanitarian access to the Greater Java region.

Citing the United Nations Office for Humanitarian Affairs Coordination (OCHA), reported by ANTARA, Saturday, October 19, UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said at a press conference that families in the north were experiencing "terrible conditions" as they struggled to survive amid an increasingly intense conflict.

"OCHA warns that the ongoing lack of access to the Greater Java region has a life-threatening impact," he said, adding that the agency had submitted an emergency request to Israeli authorities to facilitate the evacuation of civilians trapped under the rubble.

"We are now waiting for the green light," he added, given the previous incident where access was given too slowly, "which resulted in only the bodies being successfully retrieved."

He also stressed that "OCHA urges Israeli authorities to enable safe, fast, sustainable, and unrestricted access to Jabalia and all areas north where people desperately need help."

Meanwhile, Haq also reported that the Israeli army and Hezbollah continued within the operating area of the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

He said the mission documented 70 air violations by Israeli soldiers into Lebanese airspace, "breaking the record for the highest daily offenses since October 2023."