UN: Israeli occupation rejected 22 requests to facilitate entry of aid into Gaza

NEW YORK, Feb. 07 (YPA) – The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) confirmed on Wednesday that it had submitted about 22 requests to the Israeli occupation during the past month for opening the checkpoints set up in “Wadi Gaza,” but they were all rejected.

The office said in a brief press statement that it had not received any response regarding these requests.

United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric confirmed that the Israeli occupation continues to obstruct the arrival of most aid to the northern Gaza Strip, noting that only 10 aid operations reached the northern Gaza Strip out of 61 operations last month.

He added, “It is necessary to act early due to the severe traffic congestion around the warehouses and the high level of humanitarian needs.”

Since the start of the war, the occupation army has divided the Gaza Strip into three sections and placed checkpoints at the divided points, through which passage, including humanitarian aid, is not permitted without obtaining Israeli permission.

The United Nations had previously warned that 2.2 million people were at risk of famine in the Gaza Strip.

YPA