Gazans at breaking point following suspension of UN aid

The owners of destroyed homes have expressed their complete rejection of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA)’s decision to end the aid provided to them. They have demanded that the agency assume its responsibilities and obligations towards those affected.

During a massive march that began after Friday prayers in the town of Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza, those affected urged all concerned parties to hasten the process of reconstructing what was destroyed by the occupation during its most recent attack on Gaza. They also called for finding a solution for the tragic conditions they are suffering in shelters and temporary accommodation centres.

In a speech the Mayor of Beit Hanoun Muhammad Al-Kafarneh warned that they are on the verge of a mass outbreak due to the delayed reconstruction.

Al-Kafarneh also condemned UNRWA’s position, considering it a means of tightening the blockade and suffocating the people of the Gaza Strip.

“Reconstruction is a humanitarian matter that must not be linked to politics,” he added. Al-Kafarneh also urged UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to speed up the reconstruction process in order to alleviate the suffering of the thousands of affected people.

He condemned “the silence adopted by the Palestinian government and Authority regarding the decision”, and called on them to stand by the Palestinian people in Gaza, and bear all responsibilities.

He also appealed to the Arab League and the international community to carry out their responsibilities towards the Gaza Strip. At the same time, Al-Kafarneh called on the Palestinian factions to pressure the government to hasten reconstruction.