U.N. official warns renewed airstrikes and blockade are driving humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and West Bank

A United Nations official told the Security Council that renewed Israeli airstrikes and a blockade have cut off food, medicine and fuel to Gaza, imperiling more than 2.1 million people and reversing gains achieved during a recent ceasefire.

The official, identified in the meeting only as Fletcher, said overnight strikes resumed “across the entire Gaza Strip” and that there were “unconfirmed reports of hundreds of people killed.” He said Israeli authorities had “cut off the entry of all life saving supplies” and that food and medicines waiting at crossings were now rotting and expiring.

Fletcher told the council that aid deliveries made during the 42-day ceasefire showed what was possible when humanitarian operations were allowed to function: more than 4,000 trucks per week entered Gaza, polio vaccination targets were exceeded and thousands of shelter and maternal-health kits were distributed. “It proves what’s possible when we’re allowed to do our job,” he said.

Why this matters: Fletcher said that the suspension of commercial imports and humanitarian commodities is reversing progress made during the ceasefire and creating…