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Gaza aid agreement near, say UN humanitarians
UN humanitarians said on Friday that an agreement between the different sides to unlock lifesaving aid deliveries across the border to Gaza was near, just as UN chief António Guterres arrived at the Rafah crossing on the Egyptian side.
Briefing reporters in Geneva on Friday morning, UN Humanitarian Affairs Coordination Office (OCHA) spokesperson Jens Laerke said on behalf of UN relief chief Martin Griffiths, “We are in deep and advanced negotiations with all relevant sides to make sure that an aid operation into Gaza starts as quickly as possible and with the right conditions”.
“We are encouraged by reports that the different sides are nearing an agreement on the modalities and that the first delivery is due to start in the next day or so,” he said.
For almost two weeks, the enclave has gone without any fuel, food, water and medicine shipments. Earlier this week, the UN chief called for a humanitarian ceasefire and “rapid, unimpeded” aid access. Aid trucks have been waiting at the Rafah border crossing since Saturday. Mr. Laerke stressed that while it was necessary to “provide aid to everyone in Gaza regardless of where they are”, Rafah was “the lifeline” which would offer the most direct route to reach people in need.
In response to questions regarding the scope of the operation, Mr. Laerke said “whether it's enough right now, we don't know” as the situation has “changed dramatically”. But the OCHA spokesperson underscored that while modalities were still under negotiation, “any trucks that go in would be more than no trucks”. He also said that in addition to food, water and medicines, fuel was desperately needed in Gaza as the enclave was under an electricity blackout.“Fuel is a life-saving humanitarian commodity in this crisis,” he insisted.
Meanwhile, the UN human rights office expressed concern on Friday for civilians “caught in the middle of insanity” and “placed in impossible situations” in the Gaza Strip.
OHCHR spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said the enclave’s residents are “in the midst of unacceptable violence at all times.” She pointed out that they are not able to move due to bombardment in both the north and the south. Fuel shortages and other logistical reasons, in addition to fear of violence and being hit by strikes are also preventing them from fleeing. Ms. Shamdasani explained that after continued bombing in the south, people headed back north as they felt that they “might as well die in [their] own house”. She added that she heard testimony from one person who said that his in-laws decided to go back home up north. “They were killed overnight in an airstrike,” she said.
Commenting on questions regarding an investigation into an explosion at Gaza’s Al Ahli hospital two days ago that killed nearly 500 Palestinians, Ms. Shamdasani said that it is becoming “increasingly difficult” to investigate “because of the inability of people to move around”. Communications are also “being scuppered” by electricity and fuel shortages. Despite this, “we are trying to do what we can remotely to try to piece together what happened,” she said.
Regarding the wounded in Gaza and those needing advanced medical care, WHO spokesperson Margaret Harris, added that normally they have “several hundred” patients every day but now “with at least five hospitals not functioning” and the Turkish Friendship Hospital having to “stop everything within the next 24 hours,” there may be “many many people with their chronic conditions just not getting the care” they need.
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