Israeli restrictions on aid convoys in Gaza continue to obstruct humanitarian efforts: UN

The UN on Monday warned that humanitarian aid convoys in the Gaza Strip continue to face restrictions and obstructions imposed by Israeli authorities, hampering life-saving operations.

Citing the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric at a news conference warned that "aid convoys in Gaza continue to face delays, movement obstructions and other obstacles."

"Yesterday, out of 15 humanitarian missions that required coordination, the Israeli authorities facilitated seven, including the collection of fuel from Karem Shalom crossing and its distribution to areas where it is needed most," he said.

He added that "four missions had to be either cancelled by the organizers or were denied outright by Israeli authorities. The remaining ones were initially approved but then impeded on the ground and only partially accomplished, including the collection of food and vaccines from the crossings."

In Gaza, Dujarric stressed that "ongoing air strikes and hostilities in the Gaza Strip, including attacks on healthcare, are causing further civilian casualties and damaging or destroying critical infrastructure."

Citing the figures by the Health Ministry in Gaza, he said "11 people have died from malnutrition and starvation in the past 24 hours," bringing the total number of fatalities due to malnutrition and hunger to 300.

Dujarric further noted that "across the Strip, people continue to be displaced while seeking safety and shelter."

"Our partners tracking the population movements in the Strip report that between 20 and 24 August, some 5,000 people are estimated to have been displaced from northern Gaza to Deir al Balah and Khan Younis.

"Some 8,000 others have been displaced to the west of Gaza city," he said, adding that the total number of new displacements since the end of the ceasefire in mid-March climb to more than 800,000.