The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
As plight of Rafah’s displaced spirals, humanitarians plead for reopening of aid corridors
With all crossings into Rafah closed or unsafe, the situation in Gaza has reached even “more unprecedented emergency levels”, the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, warned on Friday.
At least 110,000 people have fled Rafah since Monday after the Israeli military issued evacuation orders for those sheltering in the east of the city. The closure of Rafah crossing since it was seized by the Israeli military on Tuesday has severed access to fuel and other vital relief supplies, while also curtailing the movement of staff and entry of critical humanitarian items.
“We are scraping the bottom of the barrel,” said UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Senior Emergency Coordinator in Gaza, Hamish Young, who told journalists in Geneva that no fuel or humanitarian aid has entered the Gaza Strip for five days. “This is already a huge issue for the population and all humanitarian actors but in a matter of days, if this is not corrected, the lack of fuel could grind humanitarian operations to a halt.”
The closure of Rafah crossing from Egypt and Kerem Shalom from Israel close by “has severed access for us to fuel, supplies and the movement of humanitarian staff,” explained Georgios Petropoulos, head of OCHA’s Gaza sub-office, adding that the development had also affected the movement of civilians across the border and medical evacuations out of Gaza.
A continuing lack of fuel will affect all key sectors as it could force hospitals to close and lead to a further worsening of malnutrition. Over the next 24 hours, five hospitals run by the Palestinian Ministry of Health and 28 ambulances are expected to run out of fuel.
This is a major concern for the UN World Health Organization (WHO) which cannot run equipment without power. “Even if you've got somebody back from the brink, you've operated on them, you've put them on a ventilator, (the) ventilator stops, they no longer breathe,” explained Dr Margaret Harris, WHO spokesperson. “Without fuel, no matter what everybody has done, the whole system collapses.”
In terms of growing malnutrition, Mr. Petropoulos warned that the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNWRA) will run out of food for distribution in the south by Saturday. “That means people will be left only with what has been distributed in their shelters, in their homes and and on site," he said. “As of today, we have 12 bakeries supported by humanitarian partners here in South Gaza: eight have ceased to operate due to lack of fuel and stock and those that are still operating at reduced capacities will be out of that stock by Monday.”
According to the WFP, northern Gaza’s “full-blown famine” is rapidly spreading across the Strip after seven months of war. Displaced people are subject to an even greater risk of disease, infection, malnutrition and dehydration, the WHO warned. To date, at least 30 people have died of malnutrition and dehydration, said Dr. Harris, adding that all three specialized feeding centres opened in Gaza to treat severe acute malnutrition caused by the lack of aid flowing into the enclave since war erupted are “full of patients”.
“A lack of sewage services, lack of clean water means that if the bombs don't get you, you die of thirst, infectious diseases or simply hunger,” Dr Harris said.
Only a ceasefire can avert further bloodshed and restore desperately needed aid deliveries, UN aid teams insisted.
According to the Hamas-run health ministry, at least 34,900 people have been killed in Israeli shelling and ground operation in Gaza since 7 October 2023. Some 1,250 people died in the Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel that sparked the war, and more than 250 Israelis were taken hostage. Dozens are still being held.
Ends
Story: “Gaza urgent fuel needs – OCHA, UNICEF, WHO” – 10 May 2024
Speakers:
· Hamish Young, UNICEF's Senior Emergency Coordinator in the Gaza Strip (speaking from Rafah)
· Georgios Petropoulos, head of the Gaza sub-office of UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Gaza (speaking from Rafah)
· Margaret Harris, WHO spokesperson
TRT: 01’58”
SOURCE: UNTV CH
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 10 May 2024 - GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
Geneva Press briefing
SHOTLIST
- Exterior medium shot: UN flag alley
- Wide shot of the podium with speakers in the press conference room
- SOUNDBITE (English) Hamish Young, UNICEF's Senior Emergency Coordinator in the Gaza Strip: "For five days, no fuel and virtually no humanitarian aid has entered the Gaza Strip and we are scraping the bottom of the barrel. This is already a huge issue for the population and for all humanitarian actors. But in a matter of days, if this is not corrected, the lack of fuel will really grind the whole humanitarian operations to a halt.”
- Medium shot of the podium and the press conference room
- SOUNDBITE (English) Georgios Petropoulos, Head of OCHA Sub-office in Gaza: “The closure, especially of Rafah crossing and Kerem Shalom, has severed access for us to fuel, to supplies and the movement of humanitarian staff. It has also affected the movement of any civilian who could go out on a medical evacuation.”
- Medium shot of the podium:
- SOUNDBITE (English) Margaret Harris, WHO spokesperson: “Even if you've got somebody back from the brink, you've operated on them, you've put them on a ventilator, ventilator stops, they no longer breathe. So, without fuel, no matter what everybody has done, the whole system collapses.”
- Medium shot: journalists in the press conference room
- SOUNDBITE (English) Georgios Petropoulos, Head of OCHA Sub-office in Gaza: “The World Food Programme and UNRWA will run out of food for distribution in the south by tomorrow. That means that people will be left only with the aid that has already been distributed in their shelters, in their homes and outside. As of today, we have 12 bakeries supported by the humanitarian partners here in south Gaza. Eight have ceased to operate due to the lack of fuel in stock, and the four that are still operating at reduced capacity will be out of that stock by Monday.”
- Medium shot: journalists in the press conference room
- SOUNDBITE (English) Margaret Harris, WHO spokesperson: “A lack of sewage services, a lack of clean water means that if the bombs don’t get you, you die of thirst, infectious diseases or simply hunger.”
- Medium shot: journalists in the press conference room
- Close shot: cameraman recording the press conference
- Medium shot of the press conference room podium
- Wide shot: journalists in the press conference room
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | FAO , UNHCR , WHO
Sudan: 14 million displaced; hunger and attacks on health continue as war enters fourth year
As Sudan approaches the third anniversary of a brutal civil war, millions remain displaced and hungry while the health system lies in ruins, with no end to the violence in sight, UN agencies said on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO , UNHCR , WFP
Lebanon: People ‘still under the rubble’ after massive strikes as ambulances, hospitals come under threat – UN humanitarians
With Lebanon still reeling from Israel’s devastating airstrikes on 8 April, UN humanitarians reported new fears of attacks on ambulances and looming food shortages in the south of the country on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNHCR , WHO
Lebanon: disease risks on the rise as displacement surges
With displacement in Lebanon past the one million mark, UN humanitarians warned on Tuesday about the spread of infectious diseases in shelters and surging mental health needs.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNIFIL
UN peacekeepers are supporting civilians who’ve chosen to stay in the south amid deadly dangers from Israel-Hezbollah clashes, UNIFIL spokesperson Kandace Ardiel tells us.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNHCR , WFP
Middle East war fallout: Hundreds of thousands flee Lebanon to Syria; vital food aid blocked – UN agencies
The trauma of mass displacement and humanitarian supply chain disruptions throughout the world are among the devastating impacts of the war raging in the Middle East, UN humanitarians warned on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNRWA
Bitterness, sadness and pride for UNRWA staff, says departing chief
Asking the softly spoken, veteran humanitarian worker Philippe Lazzarini how he feels as he comes to the end of his second term as the head of the UN agency for Palestinians, UNRWA, is perhaps an unfair question.
1
1
1
Edited News | IFRC , UN WOMEN , UNHCR , UNICEF , WHO
Middle East war causes civilian terror and disrupts aid, but some relief efforts resume.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk addressed the Human Rights Council, delivering a video statement on the strike that hit a girls school in Minab, Iran recently, calling for accountability and protection of children.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
A new UN Human Rights report published on Tuesday details the human rights impacts of the expanding reach of gangs in Haiti. According to data verified by the Office, at least 5,519 people were killed in Haiti, and 2,608 were injured between 1 March 2025 and 15 January 2026.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights spokesperson Marta Hurtado on Tuesday described the deadly impact of drone strikes in Sudan.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO , OHCHR
Sudan: Hospital strike highlights surge in drone attacks on civilians
The death toll from a horrific attack on a hospital in Sudan’s Darfur has risen further, amid a “sharp increase” in drone attacks against civilians this year, UN agencies said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNCTAD
Middle East conflict impacts global trade, raising oil and commodity prices due to disruptions.