UN says Israeli denials of access to Gaza aid workers hinder missions

The UN on Monday said Israeli denials of access for humanitarian personnel inside the Gaza Strip remain a "serious issue," with an average of nearly seven people per day blocked from taking part in missions over seven weeks.

Citing the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told a news conference that "conditions remain dire and the needs far outpace the humanitarian community's ability to respond, given the persistent impediments we continue to face."

"These obstacles include security, customs clearance challenges, delays and denials of cargos and crossings and limited routes available for transporting humanitarian supplies within Gaza," he said, adding that "such constraints are especially challenging to the UN and its partners' efforts to bring in sufficient shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene items, as well as education supplies."

Noting that "OCHA warns that access and movement constraints within Gaza remain a serious issue," Dujarric said that between Oct. 13 and Dec. 4, "295 contractors, 28 UN staff and 21 healthcare personnel were denied by the Israeli authorities from taking part in UN missions within Gaza."

"That's an average of nearly seven per day," he said.

Dujarric stressed that these denials "disrupt humanitarian planning and force ourselves and our partners to make last-minute adjustments that can reduce the capacity to lead or for missions being cancelled altogether if substitute personnel cannot be identified."

He added that the UN continues "to call for the unimpeded access to humanitarian goods and services and for all impediments to be lifted so that our partners and we can scale up assistance and reach every single person who needs help."

A ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel took effect in Gaza on Oct. 10 under US President Donald Trump's plan, partially halting two years of Israeli attacks that have killed more than 70,000 people, mostly women and children, and destroyed the enclave.