UN reports massive Israeli obstruction of aid deliveries to N Gaza
GENEVA
FILE - Palestinians grab humanitarian aid from a truck as it crossed into the Gaza Strip in Rafah, Dec. 17, 2023.
The U.N. reported Tuesday an overwhelming obstruction by Israel to aid attempts to the besieged northern Gaza Strip during December.
Citing the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), spokesman Stephane Dujarric said during a news conference that "U.N.-led aid missions to the North Gaza governorate continue to be overwhelmingly denied, especially those seeking to reach the besieged areas in Beit Lahiya, Beit Hanoun and parts of Jabalya."
"OCHA reports that today, three humanitarian missions planning to bring food and water to parts of besieged North Gaza were once again denied by Israeli authorities," he said, adding that "the U.N. attempted to reach these besieged areas 40 times, of which 38 attempts were denied and two were impeded" since the start of December.
Emphasizing the need to protect civilians in the north, Dujarric urged Israel to meet the "essential needs" of civilians.
"This means facilitating the work of the U.N. and humanitarian partners who have been trying to deliver food, water, health and other critical assistance -- only to have their missions denied or impeded," he added.
Israel has continued a genocidal war on Gaza that has killed more than 45,000 victims, the majority of whom are women and children, since a Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023.
Last month, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel is also facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.
Türkiye says Israel using starvation as a 'weapon'
Earlier on Tuesday, Turkish Foreign Ministry has stressed that recent regional developments should not lead the international community to ignore genocide committed by Israel.
“In the last days, Israeli attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure have intensified, and hundreds of innocent Palestinians have been massacred in attacks on school buildings and refugee camps,” said the ministry in a written statement.
"Israel's use of starvation and infectious diseases as a weapon against the Palestinian people by preventing basic humanitarian needs from being met in Gaza should not go unnoticed by the international community,” statement said.
“As Türkiye, we want peace, security and stability to prevail throughout our region. In this context, we reiterate our call for the necessary pressure to be exerted on Israel to ensure an immediate ceasefire agreement and uninterrupted humanitarian access to the region,” it added.
