UNRWA Officials Call 6,000 Assistance Trucks Waiting For Access To Entry Outside Gaza Strip

JAKARTA - A spokesman for the United Nations Aid and Work Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) Adnan Abu Hasna said on Thursday the agency was the backbone of humanitarian operations in the Gaza Strip and had to lead the response there.

He revealed that UNRWA had not been able to deliver allocated humanitarian supplies to Gaza, although the ceasefire had been in effect a few days ago.

According to the United Nations Information Center, Abu Hasna said Israel had not allowed UNRWA to deliver food and non-food aid, which is accommodated in 6,000 trucks waiting at the Gaza Strip gates.

He explained that the trucks contained enough food for the population of the Gaza Strip for three months.

"We have hundreds of thousands of blankets, tents, and clothing, as well as a large number of medicines, and this must be delivered so that we can really cope with the harsh and dangerous conditions in the Gaza Strip, which are still deteriorating," he explained.

He said that although the war had ended in the Palestinian enclave, suffering still continued.

He explained that about 90 percent of the institution's facilities had been destroyed or badly damaged, and the overall situation in the Gaza Strip was deeply concerning, as Israel still controls 53 percent of the Gaza Strip.

In addition, the streets are filled with debris, making movement difficult, and there are many other important items in the Gaza Strip.

He called for increased Arab support for the agency to ensure the continuation of its services in Gaza and the West Bank, including Jerusalem, while noting the agency's commissioner general was in intensive contact with several parties to ensure the entry of aid and allow its international staff to enter the Gaza Strip.