UN Warns of Gaza Humanitarian Access Decline; Israeli Protesters Block Aid at Kerem Shalom

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has raised concerns about the growing challenges in providing humanitarian aid to parts of Gaza, particularly due to the obstruction of aid at the Kerem Abu Salem/Kerem Shalom border crossing on Thursday and Friday.

OCHA reported in a recent statement that on January 25 and 26, Israeli protesters blocked the entry of aid trucks into Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing. The trucks, which were carrying essential supplies like food, flour, tents, and hygiene products, were unable to pass into the region.

This obstruction is exacerbating the already severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza, hindering the delivery of crucial food, water, and medical supplies to those in need. The protests, orchestrated by families of Israeli hostages held in Gaza, aimed to halt the flow of aid through Kerem Shalom until all abductees are returned.

Haim Rubinstein, spokesperson for the Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum, noted that this was the third day the families physically prevented aid from reaching Hamas in Gaza.

Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) verified with CNN that no trucks had entered Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing on the aforementioned days due to the protests.

OCHA also highlighted that only a small fraction of planned humanitarian missions in northern Gaza were successful. From January 1 to 25, only eight out of 51 planned missions were facilitated, with 29 being denied. Others were partially facilitated, postponed, or impeded due to impassable routes and excessive delays at checkpoints.

In the central area of Gaza, 63 percent (55 out of 87) of humanitarian missions were carried out, with the remaining missions either denied or postponed.

OCHA observed an increasing trend of restricted access since January 12, with heightened military activity obstructing humanitarian efforts to and from hospitals and sites.

Ajith Sunghay, head of the UN Human Rights Office, also expressed concern on Friday about deteriorating conditions in the southern governorate of Rafah, where 1.3 million Palestinians are seeking shelter. He described seeing displaced individuals living in dire conditions on the streets, with inadequate sanitation and a lack of orderly provision for their accommodation.

Sunghay emphasized the urgent need for unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid to all those requiring assistance.