NEW YORK (Palestine Foundation Information Center) Israel’s massive obstruction of the delivery of humanitarian aid to the besieged northern Gaza Strip in December was reported by the UN on Tuesday.
Citing the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric stated in a news briefing that “UN-led aid missions to the North Gaza governorate continue to be overwhelmingly denied, especially those seeking to reach the besieged areas in Beit Lahiya, Beit Hanoun and parts of Jabalia.”
“OCHA reports that today, three humanitarian missions planning to bring food and water to parts of besieged North Gaza were once again denied by Israeli authorities,” Dujarric said, adding that “the UN has attempted to reach these besieged areas 40 times, of which 38 attempts were denied and two were impeded” since the beginning of December.
The UN spokesman stressed the need to protect civilians in the north, calling on Israel to meet the “essential needs” of citizens.
“Meeting their essentials also means facilitating the work of the UN and our humanitarian partners, who have been trying to deliver food, water, health and other critical assistance — only to see missions denied or impeded,” he said.
