World must act now to help Gazans under Israeli blockade, UN chiefs urge

 The heads of six UN agen­cies have appealed to world leaders to act urgently to make sure food and supplies get to Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel has stopped letting in deliveries for more than a month.

A joint statement said Palestin­ians were “trapped, bombed and starved again” with supplies “piling up” at crossing points.

Israel has blocked the entry of supplies, including humanitarian aid, since March 2, after the first stage of a ceasefire ex­pired, demand­ing Hamas agree to extend that part of the truce. Hamas has refused, accusing Israel of reneging on its commit­ments.

Israel has said there is enough food in Gaza “for a long period of time”, but the agencies said this was not the case.

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“The latest ceasefire allowed us to achieve in 60 days what bombs, obstruction and lootings prevented us from doing in 470 days of war: life-saving supplies reaching nearly every part of Gaza,” the statement said.

“While this offered a short respite, assertions that there is now enough food to feed all Palestin­ians in Gaza are far from the reality on the ground, and commodities are running extremely low.”

The statement was signed by the heads of the UN’s Office for the Co-ordination of Humani­tarian Affairs (OCHA); the UN’s children’s agency (Unicef); the UN Office for Project Services (UN­OPS); the World Food Programme (WFP); and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Because of the blockade, all UN-supported bakeries have closed, markets are empty of most fresh vegetables and hospitals are rationing painkillers and antibiotics.

The statement says that Gaza’s “partially functional health system is overwhelmed [and]… Essential medical and trauma supplies are rapidly running out.”

“With the tightened Israe­li blockade on Gaza now in its second month, we appeal to world leaders to act – firmly, urgently and decisively – to ensure the basic principles of international humani­tarian law are upheld.

“Protect civilians. Facilitate aid. Release hostages. Renew a cease­fire.”

Under international humanitari­an law, Israel is required to ensure that the basic needs of the civilian population under its control are met. The rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian assistance must also be allowed and facilitat­ed.

The two-month pause in fighting saw a surge in humanitarian aid let into Gaza, as well as the release by Hamas of 33 hostages – eight of them dead – in exchange for about 1,900 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

Israel renewed its aerial bom­bardment and ground offensive in Gaza on 18 March.

Reuters Palestinians inspect the aftermath of an Israeli air strike on a home in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza (April 8, 2025)Reuters

At least five children and four adults were reportedly killed in an Israeli strike in the central town of Deir al-Balah overnight

On Tuesday, Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry said at least 58 peo­ple had been killed in the territory over the previous 24 hours.

The war was triggered by Hamas’s unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others taken back to Gaza as hostages.

—BBC

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