‘All attempts denied’ – Israel blocks humanitarian aid to northern Gaza
Palestinians gathering to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen in northern Gaza, October 2024
The Palestine Chronicle reports on 7 January 2025:
Israel continues to deny the delivery of humanitarian aid to northern Gaza, the United Nations has said.
“Three attempts by the United Nations to reach these areas over the past three days — that’s one on Saturday, one on Sunday and another one today — were all denied,” said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, in a press briefing on Monday.
He said that across the Gaza Strip over the weekend, “37 UN-led humanitarian missions were planned. Twelve of these missions were facilitated, but 15 others were denied outright, nine were impeded, and one was canceled due to logistical and operational issues.”
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“Once again, we stress that there must be a stop to the looting of humanitarian supplies and that Israel must facilitate the flow of aid, fuel and commercial goods into and within Gaza swiftly and at scale through multiple entry points,” the spokesperson said.
“We also call on the civilian police to be allowed to operate and thereby restore public order,” he emphasized.
Eighth Infant Freezes to Death
The spokesperson also highlighted reports that a one-month-old baby died of hypothermia in Gaza, citing the Health Ministry.
“This is the eighth child death due to the cold in less than three weeks,” he stated, adding that “These deaths were preventable, had the items required to protect these children been accessible to their families.”
In Gaza City, an UNRWA (UN Relief and Works Agency) school, “which is now of course a shelter, was hit by shelling over the weekend, injuring several displaced people,” he noted.