UN Reports Ongoing Barriers to Gaza

(MENAFN) The UN announced on Monday that Israel blocked or hindered almost half of the coordinated humanitarian assistance missions within the Gaza Strip, even though a ceasefire arrangement is in place. Slightly more than half of the planned operations were entirely enabled during a six-day span.

Referring to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric cautioned at a press briefing that relief efforts "continue to face significant impediments." He underscored that logistical and administrative challenges are still affecting aid delivery across the territory.

Detailing specific obstacles, he explained that "Shipments from Jordan are restricted to a route that requires multiple offloading and reloading points," which complicates transportation and prolongs delivery times.

He further noted that "shipments from Egypt, via Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem, face high return rates: despite a recent improvement, between Feb. 4 and 10, less than 60% of consignments from Egypt could be offloaded at that crossing point." These limitations, he suggested, continue to hamper the steady flow of essential supplies.
Addressing the situation inside Gaza, Dujarric emphasized that "humanitarian movements that require coordination with Israeli authorities also continue to face obstacles."

He pointed out that access procedures and authorizations remain a major constraint for aid organizations operating on the ground.

"Of nearly 50 such movements coordinated between Feb. 6 and 11, just over half were fully facilitated," he stated, adding that "five were denied outright, and 11 were approved but encountered significant delays and other impediments, including two that were only partially accomplished as a result."

These figures, he indicated, illustrate the persistent operational barriers confronting humanitarian actors.

"And just today, we had two more denials," he said, signaling that access challenges are ongoing.

Dujarric also mentioned that UN personnel stationed in the area are continuing dialogue with Israeli officials to "clarify the constraints and seek their resolution," aiming to address restrictions and improve the efficiency of aid operations.

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