The United Nations (UN) has dismissed Israeli claims that there is enough food in Gaza, calling the assertion “ridiculous” as humanitarian supplies dwindle to critical levels.
“As far as the UN is concerned, that’s ridiculous. I mean, we are at the tail end of our supplies, of the UN, that came in through the humanitarian route,” UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said at a press briefing on Tuesday.
Dujarric stressed the severity of the situation, highlighting that the World Food Programme (WFP) is struggling to sustain its operations in the war-ravaged enclave.
“WFP doesn’t close its bakeries for fun,” he remarked, referring to the shutdown of all 25 WFP-supported bakeries due to the lack of flour and fuel.
He also rejected claims made by Israel’s military body, COGAT (Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories), that more than 25,200 aid trucks had entered Gaza during the six-week ceasefire and that Hamas was diverting supplies.
“The UN has kept a chain of custody, and a very good chain of custody, on all the aid it has delivered,” Dujarric asserted.
Recalling the temporary improvements during the ceasefire, he added: “We saw humanitarian aid flood Gaza. We saw markets come back to life. We saw prices going down. We saw hostages released. We saw Palestinian detainees released. We need to go back to that.”
The humanitarian crisis worsened after Israel launched a surprise aerial offensive on Gaza in March 18, killing more than 1,000 people and injuring over 2,000. The attack shattered a January ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement between Israel and Hamas.
Since October 2023, Israel’s military campaign has claimed over 50,300 Palestinian lives, with most victims being women and children.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Additionally, Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over its actions in the enclave.
