The United Nations warns of continued attacks on Gaza and the threat to the truce
Amid the complex security situation in the Gaza Strip, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) issued a strong warning regarding the continuation of Israeli military operations, confirming that airstrikes, artillery shelling, and gunfire are still ongoing in various parts of the Strip. These warnings highlight the grave dangers threatening the lives of innocent civilians, including humanitarian workers and medical teams struggling to provide aid under extremely harsh conditions.
Challenges of humanitarian work amidst the flames
The UN office noted that humanitarian teams have expressed their full readiness to expand their operations to cover all areas of the Gaza Strip in order to provide relief to the population. However, this ambition is hampered by obstacles on the ground and restrictions on movement. Ensuring safe passage is a prerequisite for the success of any relief effort, as the continuation of hostilities impedes the delivery of life-saving aid to those in need, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis faced by the besieged population.
Despite these challenges, the United Nations reported successfully coordinating ten vital humanitarian missions to deliver aid to Gaza. These convoys included essential food items, vaccines needed to prevent disease outbreaks, and quantities of fuel and medical supplies, which entered through the Kerem Shalom and Zikim crossings, in an effort to alleviate the severe shortage of basic resources.
Urgent environmental and health initiatives
In a related development aimed at improving living conditions, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) announced a significant step to avert potential environmental disasters. Specialized teams have begun removing solid waste from the Firas Market site in Gaza City. The plan involves transferring this waste to a temporary site covering approximately 75,000 square meters. This step is of paramount importance for public health, as the accumulation of waste in populated areas leads to the spread of diseases and epidemics, especially given the damage to sanitation and water infrastructure.
Field violations and casualties
On the ground, reports documented the continued security breaches that are undermining the fragile calm. A Palestinian citizen was killed and several others were wounded by Israeli occupation forces on Thursday evening in the Zeitoun neighborhood east of Gaza City. The attacks were not limited to this, as they also targeted the town of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, where a woman was wounded by Israeli fire. In the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis in the south, two Palestinians were wounded in separate shooting incidents.
The shelling and demolition of residential buildings continues, particularly in the eastern areas of the Gaza Strip, posing a blatant challenge to the ceasefire agreement that was supposed to take effect on October 10th. These developments are raising widespread international concern about the future of the truce and its ability to withstand these repeated violations, which further complicate the political and humanitarian situation in the region.
