The United Nations is intensifying preparations to expand humanitarian assistance to Gaza as ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas continue in Qatar, UN officials said Tuesday. However, uncertainty over border access and security remains a significant challenge.
A potential truce is expected to allow a substantial increase in humanitarian aid to Gaza, where the UN has repeatedly reported severe shortages of food, medical supplies, and other essential goods. UN humanitarian and reconstruction coordinator for Gaza, Sigrid Kaag, has recently engaged with Israeli, Palestinian, and Egyptian officials to discuss the UN’s role in a ceasefire scenario, according to UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.
Dujarric stated that the UN system is in "intense planning and preparation" to increase aid delivery once a ceasefire is in place. However, key logistical questions—such as which border crossings will be open and how secure aid distribution will be—remain unresolved. The UN has faced ongoing difficulties in getting humanitarian aid into Gaza throughout the conflict, citing both Israeli restrictions and lawlessness within the enclave. Aid shipments have been repeatedly targeted by armed groups and looters, further complicating relief efforts.
Global food security experts warned in November that famine is "imminent" in northern Gaza. More than 46,000 people have been killed in the Israeli assault, according to Palestinian health officials. Israel claims it has delivered over a million tons of aid to Gaza over the past year but accuses Hamas of diverting resources before they reach civilians. Hamas has denied these allegations, instead blaming Israel for aid shortages.
The future of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) remains uncertain as a law set to take effect later this month could bar the agency from operating in Israeli-controlled areas or engaging with Israeli authorities. Dujarric emphasized that the UN and its partners are "doing everything possible" to assist Palestinians despite limited resources. However, he noted that ongoing hostilities, looting, and restrictions on aid access continue to hinder relief efforts. Infrastructure challenges such as damaged roads, unexploded ordnance, fuel shortages, and inadequate telecommunications have further complicated operations.
Dujarric stressed the urgent need for aid to flow freely into Gaza, stating that "vital aid and commercial goods must enter through all available border crossings without delay, at the scale needed."
The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking approximately 250 hostages, according to Israeli authorities. In response, Israel’s military campaign has devastated Gaza, displacing much of its prewar population of 2.3 million.
A potential truce is expected to allow a substantial increase in humanitarian aid to Gaza, where the UN has repeatedly reported severe shortages of food, medical supplies, and other essential goods. UN humanitarian and reconstruction coordinator for Gaza, Sigrid Kaag, has recently engaged with Israeli, Palestinian, and Egyptian officials to discuss the UN’s role in a ceasefire scenario, according to UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.
Dujarric stated that the UN system is in "intense planning and preparation" to increase aid delivery once a ceasefire is in place. However, key logistical questions—such as which border crossings will be open and how secure aid distribution will be—remain unresolved. The UN has faced ongoing difficulties in getting humanitarian aid into Gaza throughout the conflict, citing both Israeli restrictions and lawlessness within the enclave. Aid shipments have been repeatedly targeted by armed groups and looters, further complicating relief efforts.
Global food security experts warned in November that famine is "imminent" in northern Gaza. More than 46,000 people have been killed in the Israeli assault, according to Palestinian health officials. Israel claims it has delivered over a million tons of aid to Gaza over the past year but accuses Hamas of diverting resources before they reach civilians. Hamas has denied these allegations, instead blaming Israel for aid shortages.
The future of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) remains uncertain as a law set to take effect later this month could bar the agency from operating in Israeli-controlled areas or engaging with Israeli authorities. Dujarric emphasized that the UN and its partners are "doing everything possible" to assist Palestinians despite limited resources. However, he noted that ongoing hostilities, looting, and restrictions on aid access continue to hinder relief efforts. Infrastructure challenges such as damaged roads, unexploded ordnance, fuel shortages, and inadequate telecommunications have further complicated operations.
Dujarric stressed the urgent need for aid to flow freely into Gaza, stating that "vital aid and commercial goods must enter through all available border crossings without delay, at the scale needed."
The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking approximately 250 hostages, according to Israeli authorities. In response, Israel’s military campaign has devastated Gaza, displacing much of its prewar population of 2.3 million.
