UN agency says ‘soon many more will die’ from Gaza siege

Jerusalem, Undefined – AFP

The United Nations warned Friday that “many more will die” as a result of Israel’s ongoing siege of Gaza, which has caused sewage to flow on the streets of the Palestinian territory.

Israel laid a total siege on Gaza following the October 7 attacks by Hamas, cutting off food, fuel, water and power supplies to the territory.

“As we speak people in Gaza are dying, they are not only dying from bombs and strikes, soon many more will die from the consequences of (the) siege imposed on the Gaza Strip,” said Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner general for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).

“Basic services are crumbling, medicine is running out, food and water are running out, the streets of Gaza have started overflowing with sewage.”

Lazzarini called for more aid to be immediately allowed into Gaza during a press conference in Jerusalem.

“The current system in place is geared to fail. What is needed is meaningful and uninterrupted aid flow. And to succeed, we need a humanitarian ceasefire to ensure this aid reaches those in need,” Lazzarini said.

Limited convoys of aid have entered through Gaza’s Rafah crossing with Egypt, but the UNRWA chief noted that they have not included fuel, which is vital to keep critical services running.

– ‘Drastically limited’ fuel use –

“Bakeries, water stations, life support machines in a hospital — all this needs fuel to function,” he said.

“As far as UNRWA is concerned, we have fuel for today,” said Lazzarini.

The agency has “drastically limited” its fuel consumption, he said, and normally needs 160,000 litres per day for its operations.

Israel has said it will not allow fuel to enter Gaza, arguing it could reach Hamas’s armed wing.

Lazzarini dismissed the claim that aid convoys could be diverted.

“Let me be clear: we have solid monitoring mechanisms… UNRWA does not and will not divert any humanitarian aid into the wrong hands,” he said.

Alongside the siege, Israel has bombarded Gaza with air and artillery strikes since October 7.

At least 7,326 people have been killed in Gaza, including 2,913 children, according to figures released by the health ministry.

Lazzarini said 57 UNRWA staff have been killed in Gaza, describing them as “wonderful people who have just dedicated their lives to their communities”.