‘Disaster on top of disaster’
Israel’s military said it has struck more than 600 militant targets in recent days in Gaza, where Palestinian civilians are in desperate need of fuel, food and clean water.
The UN humanitarian office (OCHA) said water supplies through a pipeline from Israel to southern Gaza were cut off on Monday “for unknown reasons”, and that another pipeline to central Gaza had not been repaired.
“At the time of writing, no water has been provided to Gaza from Israel,” OCHA said on its website.
UN officials said humanitarian aid trucks were arriving in far fewer numbers than required, and civil order had collapsed as people raided UN warehouses in search of food.
The United Nations Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said on Monday it had closed four UN aid distribution centers and a storage facility.
“This is a disaster on top of a disaster,” said Rick Brennan, the World Health Organization’s regional emergencies chief, reiterating international calls for a ceasefire to enable a larger humanitarian operation. Our capacity is decreasing rapidly.”
Aid trucks have been entering Gaza from Egypt since last week via Rafah, the main crossing which does not border Israel. It has become the main point of aid delivery since Israel imposed a “total siege” of Gaza after 7 October.
The White House said it was working to get more aid trucks into Gaza.
