UN warns of obstructed relief efforts in Gaza

In a press briefing on Monday, Dujarric reaffirmed the Secretary-General’s call for the return of all captives’ remains in Gaza, emphasizing the need for all parties to avoid actions that could reignite hostilities or further hinder humanitarian relief efforts in the Gaza Strip.

Since October 7, 2023, Israeli forces, backed by the United States and Europe, have waged a campaign of genocide in Gaza, involving mass killings, starvation, destruction, forced displacement, and arbitrary arrests, in blatant defiance of international appeals and International Court of Justice orders to cease hostilities. A ceasefire brokered by the US, Egypt and Qatar finally succeeded to end the war on October 10, this year.

According to official data from Gaza’s Ministry of Health, Israel’s war of extermination has resulted in over 238,000 Palestinians killed or injured, the majority of them children and women. More than 11,000 remain missing, and hundreds of thousands have been displaced. A devastating famine has claimed numerous lives, mostly children, and the Strip has witnessed widespread destruction, with many of its cities and regions effectively wiped off the map.