UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric briefed reporters in New York, reporting that ongoing hostilities in parts of the Gaza Strip continue to cause casualties and repeatedly disrupt humanitarian operations. On Tuesday, the UN and its partners coordinated eight planned humanitarian movements with Israeli authorities, but only one was facilitated, while the remaining seven were impeded, denied, or cancelled. Despite these obstacles, UN teams successfully collected over 200 pallets of medicine and five tankers of fuel from the Kerem Shalom/Kerem Abu Salem crossing, along with additional tents from the Kissufim crossing. Dujarric emphasized that every delivery into Gaza makes a significant difference.
The health system in Gaza remains in a state of extreme fragility, with no hospital fully functional and only 18 out of 36 hospitals partially operational. On Monday, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) facilitated the medical evacuation of 33 Palestinians in critical condition, accompanied by more than 100 family members. However, the scale of unmet medical need remains overwhelming, with over 16,500 patients still requiring care outside Gaza. WHO continues to call for safe access through all evacuation routes, especially to the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and urges the expedited processing of medical evacuation convoys at crossings.
Efforts to maintain essential civilian services are ongoing. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) continues to provide education for displaced children, operating nearly 350 temporary learning spaces across 64 shelters and delivering in-person education to more than 47,000 boys and girls. Humanitarian teams also continue to provide other critical support despite the challenging circumstances.
Dujarric reiterated the UN’s call for unimpeded humanitarian access, stressing that the organization and its partners are prepared to scale up operations immediately once restrictions on relief items and aid groups are lifted. He emphasized that easing these constraints would allow the UN to reach everyone in need and significantly expand the delivery of essential humanitarian assistance.
