Gaza-Saba:
The Gaza Strip is experiencing a serious humanitarian disaster due to the Zionist enemy's recent decision to close the crossings and prevent the entry of aid to the Strip's residents since the beginning of the week. Their already dire living conditions have worsened, amid warnings from local and international organizations of the return of signs of famine to the besieged Strip.
Local Palestinian sources spoke of the dire humanitarian situation facing the Gaza Strip and its residents, who have survived a Zionist genocide that has lasted for more than 15 months and continues through wars under various names.
The same sources stated that starvation, thirst, drowning in darkness, waste, and sewage, and the prevention of treatment and the entry of medical supplies are all other Zionist wars that continue to accompany the ongoing daily killing despite the ceasefire that has been in effect since January 19.
It pointed out that the Zionist enemy's failure to implement the "humanitarian protocol" of the ceasefire agreement contributed to the increase in suffering and served to perpetuate and exacerbate it. She emphasized that the enemy's closure of the crossings at the end of the time specified for the first phase of the agreement is an attempt to blackmail the resistance and its negotiating delegation by putting more pressure on the civilian incubator of the resistance.
Government officials in Gaza warned of the worsening humanitarian and environmental conditions, which have reached levels they described as "catastrophic and destructive." They called for pressure on the Zionist enemy to fulfill its obligations, end its control over civilians, and stop using their humanitarian needs as a bargaining chip.
Khalil al-Daqran, spokesman for the Ministry of Health in Gaza, emphasized that the continued closure of the crossings poses a direct threat to the lives of thousands of sick and injured people in the Gaza Strip, due to the Zionist enemy's prevention of the entry of essential medicines and medical supplies.
Al-Daqran explained that the enemy has not adhered to humanitarian agreements and has only allowed the entry of 10% of basic medical needs, stressing that the "drip policy" of aid entry is killing patients daily.
He explained that the health system in Gaza suffers from a severe shortage of medicines, equipment, and medical supplies, including ventilators and oxygen, which, he said, hinders hospitals' ability to provide life-saving services.
He warned that the continued closure of crossings and the prevention of the entry of medical equipment, supplies, and medicines will lead to an increase in the death toll among patients, especially those suffering from chronic diseases and serious injuries.
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has warned that the severe water shortage in the Gaza Strip has reached critical levels, with only one in ten people currently able to access safe drinking water—90% of the population.
According to UNICEF's Gaza official, Rosalia Poulin, 600,000 people regained access to drinking water in November 2024, but were again cut off.
UN agencies estimate that 1.8 million people, more than half of whom are children, are in urgent need of water, sanitation, and health assistance. They confirm that the situation has further deteriorated following the decision to cut off electricity to the Strip, disrupting vital desalination operations.
For his part, Ismail al-Thawabta, Director General of the Government Media Office in Gaza, stressed that closing the crossings and preventing the entry of humanitarian and medical aid constitutes a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and endangers the lives of more than two million citizens in the Gaza Strip.
In an interview with the Palestinian Information Center, al-Thawabta stated that closing the crossings is not merely a political decision, but rather a death sentence for thousands of sick and injured people who rely on medical aid and medicines that are prevented from entering the Gaza Strip.
He explained that the repercussions of the closure of the crossings on the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip are very serious, stressing that the continuation of this closure threatens an unprecedented humanitarian disaster.
Regarding the impact of the closure of the crossings on the daily lives of the population, al-Thawabta emphasized that the Gaza Strip suffers from a severe shortage of basic food and fuel, disrupting the operation of hospitals, power plants, and water facilities.
He said that the closure of the crossings not only threatens public health but also affects every aspect of daily life, as residents suffer from shortages of food, water, and electricity.
Thawabtah warned that the continued closure of the crossings will exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, calling on the international community and humanitarian organizations to urgently intervene to open the crossings and allow the immediate entry of humanitarian and medical aid.
He also called on the international community to assume its responsibilities and pressure the occupation to open the crossings and save the lives of thousands of citizens suffering from shortages of medicine, food, and water.
Thawabtah emphasized that the government in Gaza is working at all levels to address the crises afflicting the Gaza Strip, emphasizing that it needs urgent international support to save the Strip from the humanitarian catastrophe it is experiencing. He stated that Gaza is facing one of the most difficult crises in its history and requires concerted international efforts to save our people from this suffering.
For his part, the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, warned of the risk of a return to the situation of months ago "regarding the worsening hunger in the Gaza Strip."
In a speech in Geneva, he explained that the recent measures taken by the Zionist enemy "aim to weaponize humanitarian aid provided to Gaza, especially as the situation in Gaza is deteriorating very rapidly."
The UNRWA Commissioner-General accused the Zionist enemy of weaponizing humanitarian aid through its blockade of goods and the cutting off of electricity to Gaza.
In his speech, Lazzarini also warned of a renewed hunger crisis if aid supplies are not resumed.
The Zionist enemy authorities have halted all aid deliveries since the beginning of this month, accusing Hamas of rejecting a US proposal to extend the first phase of the ceasefire in Gaza.
The Zionist enemy government also decided on Sunday evening to cut off electricity, a move condemned by the United Kingdom and Germany.
Supplies were cut off, as was electricity to the main desalination plant, which would significantly reduce the availability of drinking water in Gaza, according to the spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
"The Secretary-General is deeply concerned by Israel's decision to limit electricity supplies to Gaza," said UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric. "This latest decision will significantly reduce the availability of drinking water in the Gaza Strip."
Lazzarini also criticized the Israeli move to cut aid and electricity, saying it is expected to have a growing impact on the people of Gaza.
He explained that starting today, the facility will operate on backup generators, which will reduce water access. He stressed that restoring the facility's operation is "vital" for tens of thousands of families and children.
M.M
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