The United Nations Calls Israel Still Hampering Access To Assistance To The Gaza Strip

Residents of the Gaza Strip are waiting for humanitarian assistance. (Source: WAFA)

JAKARTA - The United Nations (UN) said on Monday Israel's restrictions continued to block the flow of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, a month after the ceasefire took effect in the Palestinian enclave.

Citing the Office of Humanitarian Affairs Coordination (OCHA), UN spokesman Farhan Haq said at a press conference, "one month after the ceasefire, efforts to increase aid remain hampered by the bureaucracy, a continuing ban on key humanitarian partners, too few crossings and routes, and continuing insecurity despite a ceasefire," Anadolu reported November 11.

"In some areas, our team still has to coordinate every movement first with the Israeli authorities," he said, adding Israel only facilitated two of the eight aid efforts as a whole and "four were hampered on land including one that was delayed for 10 hours before the team finally received the green light to move."

Haq further said the United Nations and its partners "take advantage of every opportunity to expand operations" although challenges continue.

When asked about the obstacles in opening more border crossings, he said the barrier lies with Israel.

"Well, the obstacles are on the Israeli side. We've asked and tried to coordinate with them to open up more crossings, but they haven't done it yet," he said.

It is known, since October 2023, Israel's genocide war has killed more than 69,000 people and injured more than 170,600 people, according to Gaza's Ministry of Health.

The Palestinian and Israeli militant groups agreed to a ceasefire from January 19 to March 18, before the United States, Egypt, Qatar and Turkey became intermediaries for the Gaza ceasefire which took effect on October 10, halting Israel's two-year war with Hamas.