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UN warns Gaza aid suspension, closure of crossings threatens food, maternal services
Summary
The UN said an announced suspension of humanitarian aid to Gaza and recent closures of cargo crossings risk reversing gains made since the Jan. 19 ceasefire, endangering food security and reproductive health services while funding remains far short of requirements.
The United Nations spokesperson said Israel announced a suspension of humanitarian aid to Gaza on Sunday, March 2, and warned that closures of all cargo crossing points risk undoing life‑saving deliveries made since the Jan. 19 ceasefire.
Why it matters: UN agencies say the stoppage and access restrictions could force community kitchens and bakeries to reduce or suspend operations, cut distributions of food parcels and flour, and impede restoration of local food production — worsening already critical food insecurity.
The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) told the briefing that ‘‘recent closures of all crossing points for cargoes are undoing critical progress made in delivering vital lifesaving assistance since the ceasefire took hold on January 19,’’ the spokesperson said. OCHA warned that if disruption continues, ‘‘at least 80 community kitchens may be forced to suspend their activities.’’
The U.N. Population Fund (UNFPA) cautioned that a cutoff of aid would have ‘‘far‑reaching consequences for women and girls,’’ the spokesperson said. Over the past 10 weeks, UNFPA and its partners have provided reproductive health and protection services to 170 women and girls, set up 16 temporary health facilities, supported thousands of pregnant women and supplied vital items to nearly 4,500 mothers, the spokesperson added.
‘‘The scale of the needs is staggering and unfortunately so is the shortfall in funding,’’ the spokesperson said, noting that more than two months into the year the humanitarian response had secured less than 4% of the $4,000,000,000 required to meet basic needs across the occupied Palestinian territory, especially in Gaza.
Humanitarian partners are providing seeds and animal feed to support local food production, but those efforts likewise depend on a steady inflow of supplies across border crossings. The spokesperson said access restrictions are also making it harder for some schools to resume learning because of shortages of furniture, clean water, toilets and basic classroom materials.
The UN spokesperson emphasized the secretary‑general’s appeal that parties ‘‘uphold their commitments and implement them in full’’ and called on member states to use available leverage to sustain humanitarian access.
Less critical details and next steps: Agencies warned that distributions could be adjusted to prioritize bread supplies for bakeries so that basic baking operations continue, and they continue to track the impact of crossing closures on health, food and education services.
