UN: Gaza aid deliveries rise under ceasefire but access constraints and UNRWA clarification persist
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Summary
The UN said humanitarian operations in Gaza have scaled up under the ceasefire but remain constrained by limited crossings and internal route damage; WFP distributions now reach over half a million people, and the UN corrected an earlier remark about UNRWA staff allegations.
The United Nations said humanitarian operations in Gaza have increased under the fragile ceasefire but remain constrained by restrictions on crossings and damaged internal routes that slow distributions.
UN officials told reporters that nearly 240 pallets of tarpaulins, winter clothing and hygiene kits were collected from the Kerem Shalom/Kerem Abu Salim crossing and moved closer to people in need, but collections had to be limited because Israeli authorities ordered rerouting through a narrow, damaged coastal road. The World Food Programme (WFP) reported that more than 500,000 people have received food assistance through 43 general food distribution points, covering roughly 35% of a monthly target of 1,600,000 people.
UNRWA said it reopened one medical point in Gaza City providing essential care. In addition, the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) distributed nearly 210,000 liters of fuel across southern and northern Gaza to support water, sanitation, health, rubble removal, telecommunications, education, protection and humanitarian logistics.
On UNRWA-related allegations, the spokesperson corrected an earlier statement that said a small number of UNRWA staff were "credibly linked" to Hamas. He said the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) did not qualify the allegations as credible; instead, OIOS reported that the evidence it obtained, if authenticated and corroborated, might indicate possible involvement. The International Court of Justice last week ruled that Israel's public claim that UNRWA is infiltrated by Hamas was not substantiated as presented in the court materials, the briefing said.
Why it matters: The uptick in deliveries and service restorations provides critical relief for many civilians, but limited crossings, rerouting and damaged roads constrain scale-up. The correction about UNRWA staff allegations addresses a sensitive legal and reputational matter for a major humanitarian agency.
What remains unclear: The briefing cited rerouting and damage that limit collections and transport; exact plans and timelines for reopening additional crossings or scaling distributions to reach the 1.6 million target were not specified.