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UN: Gaza aid at risk as crossings remain closed; Secretary‑General calls for political framework for reconstruction
Summary
UN spokespeople warned that repeated closure of Gaza crossings will have severe humanitarian consequences, noting resumed limited medical evacuations but major needs remain for water, sanitation and food as reconstruction requires an agreed political framework, the Secretary‑General said.
The United Nations said continued closure of crossings into Gaza threatens to reverse recent relief gains and could cause further humanitarian suffering, and the Secretary‑General urged a clear political framework to support reconstruction and lasting stability.
A UN spokesperson said some humanitarian operations resumed in Gaza — including the dialysis unit at Rantisi Children’s Hospital and a World Health Organization‑supported medical evacuation of 29 child patients and 43 accompanying persons to Jordan — but added that the Israeli authorities had rejected UN attempts to collect supplies waiting at the Kerem Shalom crossing before it closed. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) told the briefing that the crossing closures on the third consecutive day risk devastating consequences for a population recovering from months of deprivation and hunger.
The Secretary‑General, speaking from an overseas visit read out by the spokesperson, welcomed an Arab‑led initiative to mobilize support for Gaza’s reconstruction and said reconstruction will require governance and security arrangements able to help guarantee a more stable future. The spokesperson said the Secretary‑General also issued a video message to a Tokyo conference marking the 80th anniversary of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, reiterating a broader call for progress toward denuclearization and strengthened multilateral cooperation.
UN agencies and partners reported immediate needs inside Gaza: the World Health Organization highlighted threats to women and girls from lack of water, sanitation and mental‑health services; the UN noted rising prices for flour and vegetables after the crossings closed, and the spokesperson corrected an earlier overstated figure, saying the statement that prices had risen "100‑fold" was incorrect. The briefing did not specify the exact percentage increase.
Filippo Grandi, the commissioner‑general of UNRWA, was cited by the spokesperson as warning that stopping aid flows into Gaza would threaten civilian lives, and humanitarian partners said they are working to sustain operations across the Strip while emphasizing that access and scale must be maintained.
Background: the briefing followed the Secretary‑General’s participation in an extraordinary Arab summit in Cairo, where he discussed Gaza and the need for a political framework for recovery. The UN spokesperson said the organization will continue using all available means to press for sustained humanitarian access.
