UN on the situation in Gaza
JVL Introduction
On the 600th day of horror in Gaza, Ocha gave an update on the food aid distribution crisis.
Jonathan Whittall made clear Ocha’s conviction that the newly developed distribution scheme cannot possibly meet Gaza’s needs.
In response to Israeli claims that Hamas diverts aid he was forthright:
“The real theft of aid since the beginning of the war has been carried out by criminal gangs, under the watch of Israeli forces, and they were allowed to operate in proximity to the Kerem Shalom crossing point into Gaza.”
Nor is the problem that the UN is unable to do the job:
“We are ready to work. We are ready to deliver directly to families as we always have. We are being denied from doing so, because it appears that the intention from Israel is not to facilitate an efficient aid response at scale.”
The Israeli line is that aid will only be allowed to reach those who comply with Israel’s military needs, described by an Israeli minister as being to “conquer, clear and stay” while Israel’s ground offense completes the dismantling Gaza’s hospitals, bakeries and water sources.
Israel is in clear and ongoing breach of the International Court of Justice’s January, March and May 2024 rulings on provisional measures which included, among other things, to “maintain open the Rafah crossing for unhindered provision at scale of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance”.
And from the British government? Seemingly strong words – “appalling”, “intolerable” – but absolutely no action. In a word, complicity with Israel’s crimes.
RK
This article was originally published by Ocha – UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Afafirs on Wed 28 May 2025. Read the original here.
Briefing to journalists by Jonathan Whittall, Head of OCHA OPT
Opening Remarks at Press Briefing
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The UN and its staff deserves our utmost respect, sympathy and support while they (without any forces of their own to call upon) battle for human decency against nations with considerable firepower and the morals of thugs.
“Hamas could not possibly steal a fraction of the “500” lorries needed per day for 2.3 million people if they were not stopped from crossing into Gaza by racist, fascist officials and ordinary ZionNazis. The media reports as if there WERE some serious attempt to feed Gazans, instead of describing the starvation as what it is: blatant genocide