Gaza Reaches Critical Point After Blockage of Supplies for 51 Days

(MENAFN) The United Nations humanitarian office issued a stark warning on Tuesday, stating that the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip has reached its most crucial state since the onset of the conflict, with aid supplies being blocked for 51 consecutive days.

Jens Laerke, spokesperson for OCHA, described the current circumstances as likely the "worst humanitarian situation we have seen throughout the war in Gaza," during a UN briefing in Geneva, responding to a question from the media.

Laerke highlighted the severe hardships faced by civilians in Gaza, with no humanitarian aid having entered the area for over 50 days, and commercial goods being denied for an even longer period.

"You can see a clear tendency towards total disaster," Laerke added, emphasizing the rapidly deteriorating conditions in the region.

Since March 2, Israel has sealed off Gaza's borders, preventing essential supplies from reaching the enclave, despite growing reports of famine in the war-ravaged area.

The Israeli military renewed its assault on Gaza on March 18, violating a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement that had been in place since January 19.

As of October 2023, more than 51,200 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have lost their lives in the ongoing conflict.

In November of the previous year, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu and previous Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

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