Media reports indicate that ongoing discussions regarding a potential Israel-Hamas agreement for a four-day humanitarian pause and the release of hostages taken by the Palestinian militant group since the terror attacks on October 7 suggest that the implementation of the deal is unlikely to occur before Friday. Amid increasing food scarcity, Cindy McCain, the head of the UN World Food Programme (WFP), stated that the agency is “quickly mobilizing to enhance assistance within Gaza” once safe access is established. Her remarks followed those of UN emergency relief chief Martin Griffiths, who emphasized the readiness of the Organization to escalate aid deliveries into the region and distribute it throughout the enclave. McCain noted that WFP trucks are currently “stationed at the Rafah crossing, packed with food intended for families in shelters and homes across Gaza, as well as wheat flour for bakeries to resume their operations.”
Recent UN humanitarian assessments revealed that wheat flour has become unavailable in markets in northern Gaza, with bakeries unable to function due to shortages of fuel, water, flour, and infrastructure damage.
Hope for Increased Aid
Since limited aid shipments began to flow through the Rafah crossing with Egypt on October 21, just over 73 truckloads of WFP food assistance have entered Gaza, which falls significantly short of the population’s needs. McCain expressed optimism that additional fuel will be allowed into the enclave “so that our trucks can deliver much-needed supplies and ensure that bread becomes available as a lifeline for hundreds of thousands of individuals each day.” On Wednesday, approximately 75,000 litres of fuel entered Gaza from Egypt, following an Israeli decision to permit the “daily entry of small quantities of fuel for vital humanitarian activities,” as reported by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). This fuel is being allocated by the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) to facilitate food distribution and the operation of generators in hospitals, water and sanitation facilities, shelters, and other essential services in southern Gaza, where access to the northern area has been restricted due to Israeli military actions. OCHA’s head and UN emergency relief chief, Martin Griffiths, noted last week that approximately 200,000 litres of fuel per day are required.
Update on Hospital Evacuations
On Wednesday, an evacuation operation successfully transported 190 wounded and ill individuals, along with their companions and medical personnel, from Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City. This development was confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a collaborative effort involving UN agencies and humanitarian partners led by the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS). The evacuees were moved in an ambulance convoy to the southern part of Gaza. According to reports from PRCS cited by OCHA, the evacuation process “lasted nearly 20 hours due to obstructions and inspections at the checkpoint dividing northern and southern Gaza,” highlighting the risks faced by patients. Dialysis patients were relocated to the Abu Youssef An Najjar Hospital in Rafah, while others were taken to the European hospital in Khan Younis. OCHA estimates that approximately 250 patients and staff remain at Al-Shifa, which is no longer functional.
Meanwhile, Wednesday marked a significant decrease in the number of displaced individuals crossing from northern Gaza to the south via the “corridor” established by the Israeli Defense Forces along Salah Ad Deen Road. According to OCHA’s monitoring, only around 250 people made the journey south. The UN Office attributes this decline to the anticipation surrounding the proposed humanitarian pause, which has yet to be enacted. Currently, over 1.7 million people in Gaza are internally displaced.
Conditions in Gaza
In a recent interview with UN News, an UNRWA employee who fled Gaza this week described the challenges of living and working amid the ongoing conflict. Maha Hijazi, UNRWA’s Warehousing and Distribution Officer, was tasked with securing food for hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) now sheltering in its facilities. “Our initial plan was to accommodate 150,000 Palestinian IDPs within UNRWA shelters, but we are now nearing one million,” she reported. The UN and its partners continue to call for increased aid to be permitted into the Gaza Strip, which is grappling with severe shortages of food, water, fuel, medicine, and other essential supplies.
Full Shelters and Empty Markets
A majority of UNRWA staff members are themselves Palestinian refugees, and many have sought refuge in the agency’s shelters while continuing their vital work. Tragically, over 100 of their colleagues have lost their lives to date. Although Hijazi’s family did not stay in one of the shelters, she noted that her parents struggle to find food in the markets. “We visited the markets, but they are empty. We have money, but there is nothing available for purchase,” she lamented.
A Mother’s Difficult Decision
On Monday, Hijazi and her family made the difficult choice to leave Gaza for Egypt. She expressed her frustration and hesitance to abandon her home, apartment, and job. “Neither my children nor any of our Palestinian children feel safe or secure. They hear bombings both night and day,” she shared. Hijazi recalled how her children would ask before bedtime if they would die like their neighbors and relatives. “I had to comfort them, promising that if we die, we will die together, so we won’t feel anything. And if you hear the bombing, you are safe; the rocket that might kill you will not make a sound,” she explained. Despite the emotional toll of leaving Gaza for Egypt, she believed it was the best choice for her children, who hold dual nationality. “I want them to have the opportunity to sleep peacefully and feel like other children,” she stated. “Throughout the entire journey, I was in tears with my kids because we didn’t want to leave our homeland, but we were compelled to seek safety and protection.”
