UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric briefed correspondents in New York that the United Nations is prepared to launch a major aid operation in Gaza as soon as an agreement is reached on the US-mediated peace plan. Indirect talks are underway in Egypt, with Qatar and the United States also facilitating negotiations aimed at ending the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Hamas has indicated its agreement to significant portions of the 20-point US proposal, including the release of all Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, and provisions for the entry and distribution of aid through UN agencies and the Red Crescent without interference from either party.
Dujarric emphasized that the UN has thousands of metric tonnes of aid ready to enter Gaza once clearance is granted. Qatari and Egyptian mediators are engaging with delegations from both Israel and Hamas in Sharm El-Sheikh, with hopes rising for a resolution to the conflict that began two years ago with Hamas attacks on southern Israel. Despite calls for a pause in Israeli airstrikes, bombardments have continued, with local health authorities reporting 21 Palestinians killed and 96 injured on Sunday. While the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) noted a recent reduction in airstrikes, shelling and gunfire persist across the region.
In response to the ongoing crisis, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher released $9 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to ensure adequate fuel supplies for essential services. Dujarric highlighted the continuing challenges in humanitarian access, noting that while eight missions were facilitated with Israeli coordination, six were denied and five had to be cancelled.
Humanitarian operations are ongoing under difficult conditions. The World Food Programme (WFP) has supplied wheat flour to bakeries working up to 22 hours a day, producing approximately 100,000 bundles of bread daily. On Saturday, UN agencies and partners distributed 885,000 meals through 167 kitchens across Gaza, although only 12 kitchens remain operational in the northern region. Displacement sites and shelters in southern Gaza are overcrowded, forcing some families to set up temporary tents in areas such as the Al Amal garbage dumping site.
Despite ongoing violence, restricted access, and limited supplies, UN aid teams and partners continue their efforts to reach vulnerable populations across Gaza. The UN has stressed the importance of sustained and unimpeded access to all areas to ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches those in need.
