GAZA, Palestine – Tom Fletcher, the UN humanitarian coordinator, visited the devastated Gaza City on Saturday, the first visit by a senior UN official since last week’s ceasefire.
Fletcher pointed out the magnitude of the disaster facing relief agencies as they struggle to provide food and basic services to millions of Palestinians.
A difficult humanitarian mission
“I was here seven or eight months ago,” he said during his participation with the UN mission while inspecting the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood and the sewage station.
The buildings were still standing, but now the situation is horrific, a large part of the city has been reduced to rubble.”
This comes months after the violent Israeli attack launched by Tel Aviv following the October 7, 2023 operation.
This has led to the destruction of vital infrastructure and the displacement of hundreds of thousands.
Fletcher said, according to Agence France-Presse, that the United Nations has begun implementing a 60-day emergency plan that includes several items, including:
Distributing one million meals daily.
And gradually rebuild the health sector.
And setting up temporary tents in preparation for the winter.
And return hundreds of thousands of children to schools.
He added that OCHA faces a “huge task,” noting that the organization “owes it to the people who have suffered so much.”
Aid crisis
International relief agencies called for the opening of all crossings, including the Rafah crossing with Egypt.
This is to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid.
The Israeli occupation army continues to impose a tight siege on the Gaza Strip, with complete control over the crossings.
This is despite the fact that the ceasefire agreement-based on the Trump peace plan-provides for expanded aid access.
Hostage file
Israeli authorities announced on Saturday the identification of the remains of a new hostage transferred by Hamas as part of the recent body exchange deal.
The identity of the Israeli, Eliyahu Margalit, who was killed on October 7, has been identified.
The Israeli army handed over 15 bodies of Palestinian fighters to Gaza.
Israel has affirmed that it “will not stop until all hostages, living and dead, are returned,” accusing Hamas of delaying the handover.
Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said the movement is committed to the agreement but “needs time.”
Accusing Israel of “repeated violations of its provisions.”
Mounting humanitarian losses in Gaza
According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, the Israeli attack killed 68,116 Palestinians, most of them civilians.
While the Civil Defense Agency confirmed that rescue teams had recovered more than 280 bodies from under the rubble,
This has been the case since October 10th, and about 10,000 bodies are still missing.
In contrast, the death toll in Israel reached 1,221 people, most of them civilians.
This is according to official statistics reported by News wires France-Presse.
