This past weekend, the Israeli military announced a daily humanitarian "pause" in fighting along a key road in eastern Rafah to facilitate the influx of supplies into the Gaza Strip.
WHO Reports No Significant Impact on Aid
However, this initiative has not yet resulted in increased aid reaching those in need, according to the UN agency WHO.
"Overall, we at the UN can say that we have not seen any impact on humanitarian deliveries since the, in my view, unilateral announcement of this technical pause," stated Richard Peeperkorn, WHO’s representative in the Palestinian territories, on Friday.
Attacks on health facilities have been reported in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory, killing and injuring health workers and patients, and damaging health facilities and ambulances.
Ongoing Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza
Since 7 October 2023, the escalating crisis in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory has caused large numbers of civilian deaths and injuries.
In the Gaza Strip, airstrikes and a lack of medical supplies, food, water and fuel have virtually depleted an already under-resourced health system. Hospitals have been operating far beyond capacity due to rising numbers of patients as well as displaced civilians seeking shelter.
Over eight months of conflict has led to severe humanitarian conditions in the Palestinian territories, with multiple warnings of famine and outright starvation.
