UN refugee agency warns of deteriorating humanitarian crisis in Gaza amid Israel's aid blockade

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) warned on Sunday that humanitarian supplies in Gaza are rapidly depleting, with the situation worsening by the day.

The UNRWA, in a statement on X, emphasized the urgent need to end the Israeli blockade and allow the delivery of aid.

"It's been over a month since the State of Israel banned the entry of aid and commercial supplies into Gaza.

"UNRWA continues to provide assistance with whatever supplies remain. Stocks are getting low, and the situation is becoming desperate," it added.

The agency called for an immediate end to the Israeli blockade and for humanitarian aid to be allowed back into Gaza.

Since March 2, Israel has shut down Gaza's border crossings, halting the flow of humanitarian, relief, and medical aid into the region, leading to an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, according to local government and human rights reports.

Previously, both international and local organizations, including UN agencies, warned of the severe consequences of continued blockade restrictions, with many Palestinians facing severe hunger.

Last weekend, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to escalate attacks on Gaza as efforts are underway to implement US President Donald Trump's plan to displace Palestinians from the enclave.

Nearly 50,700 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in a brutal Israeli onslaught since October 2023, most of them women and children.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.