Gaza: Deep concern for civilians as aid crossings remain shut

UN humanitarians warned that the continued closure of key border crossings into Gaza is putting civilian lives at risk, just as they begin to recover from months of war, deprivation and hunger.

Speaking to journalists at UN Headquarters in New York, Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said that the Kerem Shalom, Zikim and Erez crossings had remained closed for cargo for the third consecutive day, severely restricting the flow of humanitarian supplies into the devastated enclave.

“The Israeli authorities have rejected our attempts to collect humanitarian supplies that crossed the Kerem Shalom border crossing before its closure,” he said, citing the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

“Given the huge needs in Gaza, keeping the crossings closed will have devastating consequences,” he added, underscoring that Member States and those with influence must use all available means to ensure the ceasefire holds.

Aid should not be used as ‘a weapon’: UNRWA chief

Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), warned on Tuesday that Israel’s decision to halt aid should be reversed.

“Humanitarian aid must continue to flow at scale similar to what we have seen over the past six weeks when the ceasefire began. This brought respite and relief to people in need,” he said in a post on the platform X.

He noted that the vast majority of the people in Gaza rely on aid for their “sheer survival”, adding that water, medical care and electricity were essential to complement basic food assistance.

“Aid and these basic services are non-negotiable. They must never be used as weapons of war,” Mr. Lazzarini stated.

Services continue

Despite the restrictions, UN agencies and humanitarian partners on the ground are working to sustain aid operations across the Gaza Strip, Mr. Dujarric said.

On Monday, the dialysis unit at Al Rantisi Children’s Hospital in Gaza City resumed services on Tuesday, alongside a 25-bed in-patient unit. Paediatric services also resumed at the Indonesian Hospital in North Gaza.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that 29 child patients, along with 43 companions, were evacuated from Gaza to Jordan via Israel for specialized medical treatment. This marked the first WHO-supported medical evacuation to Jordan since the ceasefire began in January.

Inside Gaza, WHO has also provided hygiene and sanitation supplies to thousands of women and girls, warning that the lack of access to clean water and sanitation could worsen mental health conditions for those who have been displaced.

Escalation in the West Bank

In the West Bank, Israeli military operations in Jenin have escalated, leading to more displacement and destruction, Mr. Dujarric reported.

Israeli forces ordered residents in one part of Jenin city to evacuate their homes, displacing about 30 families “including at least three, who had been displaced previously,” he said.

He added that Israeli forces used bulldozers, damaging infrastructure and causing power outages, while intensified access and movement restrictions to and from the city were also observed.