“Our humanitarian colleagues tell us that their partners are continuing their intensifying efforts, despite reported Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip,” he said, noting that some strikes have hit areas near the so-called “Yellow Line” – a buffer zone marked by the Israeli military inside Gaza as part of the ceasefire agreement.
“We once again emphasize that all parties must refrain from any activities that endanger civilians, including humanitarian workers..”
Despite the insecurity, UN operations managed to transport large volumes of relief supplies to the enclave. According to the so-called UN 2720 delivery mechanism authorized by the Security CouncilMore than 24,000 tonnes of aid – including food, medicine, nutritional supplements and shelter building materials – have been collected at Gaza crossings since the truce began several weeks ago.
Looting decreases
Encouragingly, looting and aid interceptions have declined sharply. Between October 10 and 28, only 5 percent of supplies were intercepted, compared to around 80 percent in the months before the ceasefire..
The World Health Organization (WHO) has also delivered more than 840 pallets of life-saving medical supplies, including insulin, surgical kits and essential medicines, and is supporting nutrition services to care for some 2,500 children.
But Mr. Dujarric warned that Gaza’s health system remains ‘under immense pressure’with the local Ministry of Health reporting that more than 1,700 health workers have been killed since the start of the war.
In education, agencies are working to restore “minimum teaching and learning conditions” for more than 630,000 school-aged children who have missed more than two years of classes.
More than 90 classrooms have been rehabilitated, although Israeli restrictions on teaching materials continue to hamper efforts.
“We continue to call for all crossing points to be open and more United Nations agencies and organizations authorized to bring humanitarian supplies to Gaza,” Mr. Dujarric said.
Fragile window to resume food production
Despite the catastrophic destruction of Gaza’s agricultural land, the current ceasefire has created a fragile but vital window to restart food production, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and satellite agency UNOSAT said Thursday.
New satellite analysis shows almost 87 percent of cultivated land, 80 percent of greenhouses and almost 87 percent of irrigation wells were damaged since the start of the conflict. But the pause in fighting has opened access to 37 percent of affected agricultural land – of which some 600 hectares remain intact – allowing farmers to begin rehabilitating their land.
“The ceasefire has opened a window of opportunity,” said Beth Bechdol, FAO Deputy Director-General. “Urgent support is needed to restore land and agricultural infrastructure, enable farmers to resume fresh food production, and rebuild fishing and livestock farming so families can put food on the table again. »
FAO stressed that rebuilding food systems now could help stabilize livelihoods and prevent more severe famine in Gaza.
However, its appeal for $75 million to support reconstruction is only 10 percent funded, underscoring the need for rapid international support to seize this brief moment of hope amid widespread devastation.
