UN urges Rafah to operate as a humanitarian corridor as Gaza needs surge of aid
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Summary
The UN said the Rafah Crossing’s partial reopening is insufficient for the scale of need in Gaza and called for rapid, unimpeded humanitarian access; WHO-facilitated evacuations numbered 5 patients and 7 companions, while partners reported large distributions of food and shelter aid in January.
The United Nations spokesperson said the secretary-general and humanitarian coordinators are urging all parties to allow rapid, unimpeded aid through the Rafah Crossing and described mounting humanitarian needs across Gaza.
The spokesperson said the secretary-general emphasized that the New York Declaration and its annexes offer a path to a two-state solution but that “what matters…is durable change on the ground.” He reported that, since the October agreement, more than 500 Palestinians have been killed and reiterated calls for parties to exercise maximum restraint and comply with international law and UN resolutions.
On access, the briefing highlighted a partial reopening of the Rafah Crossing. Citing the UN’s Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher, the spokesperson welcomed the limited movement but said it is not yet operating as a full humanitarian corridor and called for the crossing to enable a surge in aid deliveries.
The World Health Organization informed the UN that when the crossing opened it facilitated the evacuation of five patients and seven accompanying people. In response to reporters who cited different tallies, the spokesperson clarified the UN-facilitated figure as five patients plus seven companions (12 people) and noted other patients have left via bilateral arrangements that do not involve the WHO.
The briefing listed operational measures to receive and transport returnees: the UN Development Programme will provide buses from internal checkpoints to Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, and OCHA with UN and NGO partners has set up a reception area offering medical, psychosocial and referral services.
UN partners reported large-scale relief operations in January: roughly 1.7 million meals distributed per day across more than 180 kitchens, about 650 metric tons of animal feed delivered for livestock, and emergency shelter assistance to more than 83,500 families (tents, mattresses, cooking items and warm clothes). The spokesperson underscored partners’ calls to move beyond emergency items toward more sustainable shelter solutions and to expand learning spaces and community-led education initiatives as supplies arrive.
The spokesperson closed the Gaza segment by stressing that continued facilitation of humanitarian access at scale is necessary to meet urgent needs and save lives.
