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U.N. says Gaza humanitarian operation at risk as fuel stocks are looted and crossings remain closed; flotilla detainees under review
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Summary
The United Nations warned that the humanitarian operation in Gaza could come to a halt unless fuel and other essential supplies reach civilians, saying fuel stocks were looted, retrieval missions were repeatedly denied and deliveries through crossings remain insufficient.
The United Nations told reporters that the humanitarian situation in Gaza has reached "unprecedented levels of despair" and warned the entire aid operation could come to a standstill without access to fuel and a sustained flow of supplies.
At a U.N. press briefing, the U.N. spokesperson said that, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross, 29 casualties arrived at the ICRC field hospital in Rafah on a single morning, eight of them dead; most had explosive trauma wounds and two had gunshot injuries. The U.N. repeated that "no person anywhere should be forced to choose between risking one's life and feeding one's family."
The briefing said fuel stocks in Gaza are critically low and over the weekend some 260,000 liters of fuel were looted in northern Gaza. U.N. teams attempting to retrieve those supplies at times were denied access by Israeli authorities; the U.N. said missions to recover fuel had been denied 14 times since May 15. The U.N. stated that, as the occupying power, Israel "bears responsibility with regards to public order and safety in Gaza" and said this should include permitting substantially more essential supplies through multiple crossings and routes.
U.N. officials said U.N. and partner agencies have been able to collect about 4,600 metric tons of wheat flour from the Kerem Shalom crossing, but that much of that stock was taken by desperate people or looted before reaching intended destinations. U.N. food‑security partners estimate that about 18,000 metric tons of wheat flour would be required to provide every family in Gaza with at least a single bag of flour to ease market pressure and reduce desperation.
The spokesperson detailed ongoing impediments to delivering aid: unacceptably dangerous routes, a severe shortage of vetted drivers, and repeated delays as teams waited for military activities to pause. The U.N. said it was leading a mission to deliver supplies that had entered via Kerem Shalom to Gaza City at the time of the briefing.
Separately, journalists asked about the interception and detention of a flotilla vessel reported in several media outlets and the detention of activists aboard the ship. The U.N. said its immediate concern was for the safety of those on board and that, "as far as we're aware," those aboard the vessel appeared unharmed; officials said they would continue to monitor the situation. The U.N. also said it would seek to verify the precise location where the vessel was intercepted and stressed the importance of upholding international law in matters involving international waters. Regarding aid on board the vessel, the U.N. said all aid intended for Gaza "needs to go to the people of Gaza" and that obstructions to such aid would be "terrible." The U.N. said it would examine the legal basis for detentions and continue to monitor developments.
No formal changes to access procedures or new operational approvals were announced during the briefing.
