‘All Attempts Denied’ – Israel Blocks Humanitarian Aid to Northern Gaza

January 7, 2025 News
Famine is overwhelming Gaza. (Photo: via UNRWA)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff  

The United Nations reports Israel’s continued denial of humanitarian aid to northern Gaza, worsening an already dire crisis.

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.”

The Israeli army conducted a large-scale ground offensive in northern Gaza since October 5 last year, forcibly displacing thousands of Palestinians and preventing humanitarian aid including food, medicine and fuel from reaching the territory. The situation has left the remaining population on the verge of imminent famine.

Dujarric also pointed out that armed looting of humanitarian convoys continues to be reported to the UN, in southern Gaza as well as in central Gaza.

“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.

WFP Convoy Attacked

Dujarric also said that a “clearly marked” World Food Programme (WFP) convoy was shot at by Israeli occupation forces near the Wadi Gaza checkpoint on Sunday “putting staff lives at tremendous risk and leaving the vehicles immobilized.”

“The convoy, consisting of three vehicles carrying eight staff members, came under hostile fire despite having received all of the necessary clearances from Israeli authorities,” he stated, adding that at least 16 bullets struck the vehicles.

“Thankfully, no staff members were injured in what must have been a horrifying encounter for our colleagues,” he continued and urged “all parties to respect international humanitarian law, protect civilians, and allow safe passage of humanitarian aid into and throughout Gaza.”

The WFP, in a statement, said it “strongly condemns the horrifying incident.”

Ongoing Genocide

The ongoing Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip, which began on October 7, 2023, has led to a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented scale. As the death toll among besieged and starved Palestinian civilians continues to rise daily, Israel is currently facing charges of genocide against Palestinians before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, at least 45,854 Palestinians have been killed, and 109,139 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7, 2023. The toll is expected to rise further, with at least 11,000 people still unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes across Gaza.

The war, which Palestinians call “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood,” began after a military operation carried out by Hamas on Israeli territory. Israel reports that 1,139 of its soldiers and civilians were killed during the initial attack on October 7. However, Israeli media have raised concerns that a significant number of Israeli casualties were caused by ‘friendly fire’ during the assault.

Acute Famine

Human rights organizations, both Palestinian and international, have reported that the overwhelming majority of the casualties in Gaza are women and children. The ongoing violence has also exacerbated an acute famine, with thousands of children among the dead, highlighting the severity of the humanitarian disaster.

The war has displaced nearly two million people from their homes across Gaza, with the majority of the displaced forced into the already overcrowded southern region of the Strip. The population in Gaza remains trapped in the ongoing conflict, with little access to basic necessities such as food, water, and medical care.

(The Palestine Chronicle)

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