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UN warns Gaza faces worsening humanitarian crisis as electricity and crossings remain shut
Summary
The UN spokesperson said Israel’s decision to limit electricity and the closure of Gaza crossings have drastically reduced water and aid supplies, forcing agencies to prioritize dwindling stocks and curtail services for health, education and bread distribution.
The United Nations warned on the humanitarian impact to Gaza after electricity supplies from Israel were sharply reduced and all cargo crossings into the Strip remained closed, the UN spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said the cut in electricity will “substantially reduce the availability of drinking water” for tens of thousands of families and children and that water facilities are operating on backup generators. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) told the briefing that crossings have been closed for nine consecutive days, which is “severely impacting the delivery of humanitarian assistance.”
Why it matters: reduced electricity and closed crossings have immediate effects on water, health and food assistance. UN agencies and partners reported bakeries shutting because of lack of gas, interruptions to medical services, and disruptions to schooling. The spokesperson said humanitarian teams are prioritizing remaining stocks and making “extremely difficult decisions” about distribution because they do not know how long the closure will last.
The UN said that last week six bakeries in the north and Dar al-Balah shut down because of lack of cooking gas and that 19 bakeries supported by the World Food Programme were still operating but stretched. Health partners reported that more than 500,000 women of reproductive age lack access to family planning and reproductive health care. Humanitarian partners also reported that, despite opening additional schools in several areas, about one-third of children in Gaza remain cut off from formal, informal or distance learning.
The spokesperson added that fuel shortages are affecting aid operations and that power outages in parts of Gaza have disrupted water pumping. The briefing reiterated calls on parties to allow safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid and to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure.
The UN also repeated appeals for the release of hostages and for humanitarian access to be restored. The spokesperson said the UN has not been able to confirm goods entering Gaza during the period described and that movements of supplies remain severely limited.
The UN’s account is based on internal briefings from OCHA and UN humanitarian partners and statements cited from agencies active inside Gaza.
