عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Gaza Residents Stricken with ‘Abject Fear’ as Strikes Resume, Says UN

A view of the United Nations Security Council during a meeting on Gaza and the Middle East, at UN headquarters in New York City on March 18, 2025. (AFP)
A view of the United Nations Security Council during a meeting on Gaza and the Middle East, at UN headquarters in New York City on March 18, 2025. (AFP)
TT
TT

Gaza Residents Stricken with ‘Abject Fear’ as Strikes Resume, Says UN

A view of the United Nations Security Council during a meeting on Gaza and the Middle East, at UN headquarters in New York City on March 18, 2025. (AFP)
A view of the United Nations Security Council during a meeting on Gaza and the Middle East, at UN headquarters in New York City on March 18, 2025. (AFP)

Residents of Gaza have been plunged into "abject fear" once again, a top UN humanitarian director said Tuesday, after intense Israeli strikes resumed on the Palestinian territory.  

"Overnight our worst fears materialized. Airstrikes resumed across the entire Gaza Strip," Tom Fletcher, head of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, told the UN Security Council in a video meeting.  

"Unconfirmed reports of hundreds of people killed... and once again, the people of Gaza living in abject fear."

The council meeting was called -- prior to the air strikes -- by several member states to discuss the humanitarian situation as Israel has blocked aid into Gaza Strip since March 2.

"This total blockade of life-saving aid, basic commodities and commercial goods will have a disastrous impact on the people of Gaza who remain dependent on steady flow of assistance," Fletcher said.  

"As Gaza is cut off -- again -- our ability to deliver assistance and basic services is becoming harder."  

He said that during the recent ceasefire, before the new blockade, 4,000 aid trucks entered the territory each week, reaching more than two million people, and more than 113,000 tents were distributed.  

"This proves what's possible when we're allowed to do our job," he added.  

"We cannot and must not accept our return to pre-ceasefire conditions or the complete denial of humanitarian relief."  

With the exception of the United States, almost all members of the Security Council expressed concern or condemned the new Israeli strikes, with Algeria accusing Israel of "completely disregarding" the ceasefire.  

Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian UN ambassador, said that Palestinians are once again being "killed indiscriminately".

He called on the UN’s highest body to act on their condemnations.

"This can never be justified and must stop immediately. I agree with you, Madame President, when you said that you have a responsibility to act," Mansour said to Christina Markus Lassen, the Danish ambassador who is leading the council this month.  

"You are the Security Council. Act. Stop this criminal action. Stop them from denying our people food in the month of Ramadan. You have resolutions. Act. You have power. Act."

He added, "Or as my friend, the ambassador of Slovenia said, you will become irrelevant."

The world is witnessing "another chapter of collective punishment, collective punishment being afflicted upon the people of Gaza," said Algerian ambassador Amar Bendjama.  

"Once again, Palestinian blood is being used as a tool for the political calculations of the Israeli politicians," he said.  

Acting US ambassador Dorothy Shea pushed back against accusations that the Israeli army was carrying out "indiscriminate attacks," asserting instead that it was "striking Hamas positions."  

"The blame for the resumption of hostilities lies solely with Hamas," she said, after the group "steadfastly refused every proposal and deadline they've been presented over the past few weeks."  

US President Donald Trump "has made clear that Hamas must release the hostages immediately or pay a high price, and we support Israel in its next steps," she said.

Most Viewed

 
 
Arab World

UN Food Agency Says Its Food Stocks in Gaza Have Run out under Israel’s Blockade

A girl puts a pot to her head as Palestinians wait to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, April 24, 2025. (Reuters)
A girl puts a pot to her head as Palestinians wait to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, April 24, 2025. (Reuters)
TT
TT

UN Food Agency Says Its Food Stocks in Gaza Have Run out under Israel’s Blockade

A girl puts a pot to her head as Palestinians wait to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, April 24, 2025. (Reuters)
A girl puts a pot to her head as Palestinians wait to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen, in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, April 24, 2025. (Reuters)

The World Food Program says its food stocks in the Gaza Strip have run out under Israel’s nearly 8-week-old blockade, ending a main source of sustenance for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in the territory.

The WFP said in a statement that it delivered the last of its stocks to charity kitchens that it supports around Gaza. It said those kitchens are expected to run out of food in the coming days.

Some 80% of Gaza’s population of more than 2 million relies primarily on charity kitchens for food, because other sources have shut down under Israel’s blockade, according to the UN. The WFP has been supporting 47 kitchens that distribute 644,000 hot meals a day, WFP spokesperson Abeer Etefa told the Associated Press.

It was not immediately clear how many kitchens would still be operating in Gaza if those shut down. But Etefa said the WFP-backed kitchens are the major ones in Gaza.

Israel cut off entry of all food, fuel, medicine and other supplies to Gaza on March 2 and then resumed its bombardment and ground offensives two weeks later, shattering a two-month ceasefire with Hamas. It says the moves aim to pressure Hamas to release hostages it still holds. Rights groups have called the blockade a “starvation tactic” and a potential war crime.

Israel has said Gaza has enough supplies after a surge of aid entered during the ceasefire and accuses Hamas of diverting aid for its purposes. Humanitarian workers deny there is significant diversion, saying the UN strictly monitors distribution. They say the aid flow during the ceasefire was barely enough to cover the immense needs from throughout the war when only a trickle of supplies got in.

With no new goods entering Gaza, many foods have disappeared from markets, including meat, eggs, fruits, dairy products and many vegetables. Prices for what remains have risen dramatically, becoming unaffordable for much of the population. Most families rely heavily on canned goods.

Malnutrition is already surging. The UN said it identified 3,700 children suffering from acute malnutrition in March, up 80% from the month before. At the same time, because of diminishing supplies, aid groups were only able to provide nutritional supplements to some 22,000 children in March, down 70% from February. The supplements are a crucial tool for averting malnutrition.

Almost all bakeries shut down weeks ago and the WFP stopped distribution of food basics to families for lack of supplies. With stocks of most ingredients depleted, charity kitchens generally can only serve meals of pasta or rice with little added.

World Central Kitchen -- a US charity that is one of the biggest in Gaza that doesn’t rely on the WFP -- said Thursday that its kitchens had run out of proteins. Instead, they make stews from canned vegetables. Because fuel is scarce, it dismantles wooden shipping pallets to burn in its stoves, it said. It also runs the only bakery still functioning in Gaza, producing 87,000 loaves of pita a day.

The WFP said 116,000 tons of food is ready to be brought into Gaza if Israel opens the borders, enough to feed 1 million people for four months.

Israel has leveled much of Gaza with its air and ground campaign, vowing to destroy Hamas after its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel. It has killed over 51,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, whose count does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

In the Oct. 7 attack, gunmen killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251. They still hold 59 hostages after most were released in ceasefire deals.