The UN agency helping Palestinian refugees,UNRWA,reported that its distribution centre and the UN World Food Program’s warehouses in Rafah were “now inaccessible due to ongoing military operations,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.
When asked if he was referring to Israeli military operations,Dujarric said he spoke to a colleague at UNRWA just before the briefing in New York and “they’re not sticking around to see who’s doing the firing.”
“It’s an active combat zone. Bullets are flying,so not to sound glib,so they have no access to those areas. But it is clear ... that the parties who are in conflict are fighting,” Dujarric said.
Asked about the ramifications of suspending aid,he said simply:“People don’t eat”.
Edem Wosornu,the UN humanitarian office’s operations director,told the UN Security Council on Monday that the Rafah crossing has remained closed and inaccessible for humanitarian aid and fuel deliveries since May 17.
“Around 82,000 metric tonnes of supplies are stranded on the Egypt side of the crossing. Food there is spoiling,and medicines are expiring,” she said.