Gaza Displacement: Freezing Nights & Food Shortages – UN Warning
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UN Scales Up Gaza Aid Delivery, Urges israel to Open More Crossing Points
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The United Nations is substantially increasing humanitarian aid to Gaza, providing over one million hot meals daily, while simultaneously calling for expanded access to facilitate the delivery of critical supplies. Pre-positioned relief items are ready for rapid deployment as needs continue to grow.
Pre-Positioned supplies and Increased Capacity
The UN has proactively positioned millions of relief items in neighboring jordan, including 28,000 additional tents and over four million winter supply items, prepared for swift distribution once access conditions improve.This pre-positioning demonstrates a commitment to rapid response as the situation evolves.
A Million Meals a Day
Speaking at UN Headquarters in New York on November 23, 2023, Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq announced the UN and it’s partners are expanding food, nutrition, and water services under a 60-day response plan. “Our partners are now distributing over one million hot meals daily across the Strip,” Haq stated. Six UN-supported bakeries have resumed bread production, contributing to the increased food supply.
More than 150 nutrition sites are now operational throughout Gaza,supported by 20 mobile health and nutrition teams – a doubling of capacity as the ceasefire began. Partners delivered enough therapeutic food this week alone to treat 1,200 children suffering from acute malnutrition, according to Haq. Water and sanitation support is also being expanded, with hundreds of thousands of diapers, jerry cans, and hygiene kits distributed, alongside the installation of 140 new water tanks to improve community access to clean water.
Limited Access and Calls for Expansion
Aid continues to enter Gaza through the Kerem Shalom and Kissufim crossings, the only two currently operational.On Wednesday, November 22, 2023, 127 UN-coordinated trucks carrying food, tents, medical supplies, and fuel were collected for distribution within Gaza.
However, Mr. Haq emphasized that “more can and must be done,” directly urging Israel to open additional crossings, particularly to northern Gaza, and to streamline access for non-governmental organizations (NGOs). ”We need full, safe and unrestricted humanitarian access,” he said. “The needs are immense – and they are growing by the day.” The UN estimates that the current level of aid is insufficient to meet the escalating demands of the population.