UN: There are no humanitarian zones in Gaza

There is no such thing as a humanitarian zone in the Gaza Strip, the Head of the United Nations Sub-Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Gaza Strip, Georgios Petropoulos, said, warning that any place in the besieged enclave could come under fire at any time.

Petropoulos said the pace of aid distribution in Gaza is very slow, adding that at this rate, “it will take four years to distribute tents to those in need.”

He stressed that “hunger is worsening in the besieged [northern] area after the last two bakeries have closed.”

A few days ago, heads of UN agencies, including the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Program, and other relief organisations, warned in a statement that the situation in the northern Gaza Strip has become “apocalyptic”.

“The entire Palestinian population in northern Gaza is at imminent risk of death from disease, starvation and violence,” the officials said.

We the leaders of 15 @UN and humanitarian organizations urge, yet again, all parties fighting in #Gaza to protect civilians, and call on the State of #Israel to cease its assault on Gaza & on the humanitarians trying to help

Statement #IASC Principals 👉 https://t.co/QEntcMKYQ0 pic.twitter.com/t6SC9pUNu3

— Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) (@iascch) November 1, 2024

The Israeli mission to the United Nations in New York declined to comment on the statement.

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