United Nations: Famine looms in Gaza due to Israel’s intransigence
The United Nations has confirmed that Israel is disrupting the distribution of food within the Gaza Strip, where famine looms, more than other humanitarian aid.
The spokesman for the United Nations office said For Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs “OCHA” Jens Laerke said in Geneva on Tuesday that “UN-coordinated food deliveries are more vulnerable to obstruction or denial of access than any other humanitarian mission.”
He added “This means, citing March statistics, that “food convoys expected to head especially to the north, where 70% of the population is suffering famine-like conditions, are three times more likely to be rejected than other humanitarian convoys.”
Leerke stressed that the statistics that the “COGAT” organization talks about are Of the Israeli Ministry of Defense on the “meaningless” aid For several reasons, firstly, the trucks that she inspects are generally only half full.
This is a requirement that she set, explaining that once these trucks are inspected The United Nations redistributes aid within it to take advantage of space, so it is natural that “the numbers never match.”
He added, “ Secondly, counting and comparing the trucks inspected and the aid provided on a daily basis is meaningless because it does not take into account the delays that occur. Between these two stages.
The reason for these delays is due in particular to the working hours of the crossing points and to the fact that Israel requires that “Egyptian drivers not be present.” And their trucks are in the same area at the same time as the Palestinian drivers and their trucks.” After receiving the goods, the convoys must obtain a license from the Israeli authorities to move in Gaza.
Laerke added that the main problem is obtaining permits and guarantees that the aid distribution He could proceed without hindrance.
He explained that “half of the convoys that we tried to send to the north carrying food were rejected by these same authorities.”
