United Nations: “Israel” prevents us from entering Rafah crossing

GENEVA, May 07 (YPA) – “Israel” has prevented the United Nations from accessing the Rafah crossing in the Gaza Strip, according to Jens Laerke, spokesman for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, on Tuesday.

Laerke said at a regular press conference in Geneva: “We are not currently present at the Rafah crossing because the COGAT office (the Office for the Coordination of Israeli Government Activities in the Palestinian Territories) refused to allow us access to this area,” which is the main crossing point for humanitarian aid.

He continued: “We have been told that there will be no crossing of individuals or goods inward or outward at the present time. This has a huge impact on the amount of inventory we have.”

Laerke explained that the United Nations has a “very small stock” of fuel for humanitarian operations in the Gaza Strip and that it is “about enough for one day” due to the closure of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt.

The UN official added that fuel enters through Rafah only and that this “stock is for the entire humanitarian operation in Gaza.”

Earlier, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that an Israeli invasion of the city of Rafah would be “unbearable.”

YPA