U.N. warns humanitarian flow into Gaza has been disrupted as crossings close
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Summary
U.N. officials said crossings into Gaza, including Rafah, have been closed and humanitarian movements suspended, forcing rationing of supplies, halting medical evacuations and reducing water production in parts of Gaza to as little as 2 liters per person per day.
The United Nations said on Monday that humanitarian access to Gaza has been severely disrupted after authorities closed crossings and suspended movements, forcing U.N. agencies and partners to ration supplies and pause some operations.
Steph, the U.N. spokesperson, told reporters that Israeli authorities had closed crossings including Rafah, suspended humanitarian movements and staff rotations, and postponed medical evacuations, limiting the U.N.’s ability to deliver food, fuel and medical supplies. "It is imperative that all crossings be reopened as full as soon as possible," she said.
The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and other partners report that fuel shortages are already forcing agencies to prioritize life‑saving operations. The briefing noted that bakeries, hospitals and desalination plants in Gaza have been impacted and that in some areas of Gaza City reduced water production has left people with as little as 2 liters of drinking water per day.
UNICEF has expressed deep concern about the impact on children and cited reports of schools damaged or struck. The spokesperson said schools often close when bombings or air raids occur; in places like Gaza, years of disruption have already left children with limited formal schooling.
Operational consequences: The World Food Programme told the briefing it had paused activities in parts of Afghanistan (a separate item at the same briefing), and the spokesperson warned that closures of airspace and regional hubs could quickly affect humanitarian logistics beyond the immediate area.
What reporters asked: Journalists pressed how long U.N. stocks in Gaza could last under blockade; the spokesperson declined to provide a specific number, saying supplies are being stretched and that previously predictable flows are now disrupted.
Next steps: The U.N. said OCHA and UN country teams are in touch and ready to respond as needed, and the Secretariat urged all parties to ensure rapid, unhindered humanitarian access and to uphold international humanitarian law.