Israel rejects all attempts to deliver aid to Gaza: UN agency

Israel has rejected most attempts by humanitarian organizations to deliver essential supplies into the blockaded Gaza Strip, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said on Wednesday.

“The situation in Gaza is deteriorating as intense hostilities continue for a second week,” UNRWA said in a statement.

“Basic supplies are running out, and some will only last for a few more days unless aid shipments are allowed in,” it added.

Most "attempts by humanitarian organizations to coordinate access with the Israeli authorities were rejected,” the UN agency said.

On March 2, Israel shut down Gaza's border crossings to humanitarian and food supplies, exacerbating a severe humanitarian crisis in the enclave.

UNRWA spokesperson Adnan Abu Hasna warned of a near-total collapse in all aspects of life in Gaza, stressing the urgent need for a ceasefire and the entry of thousands of aid trucks.

“Anything less is a death sentence for the people, infrastructure, and the entire region,” he said.

The Israeli army launched a surprise aerial campaign on the Gaza Strip on March 18, killing 830 people, injuring nearly 1,800 others, and shattering a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement that took hold in January.

The UN estimated that around 124,000 Palestinians have been displaced again since Israel resumed its attacks on Gaza.

Nearly 50,200 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and over 113,700 injured in a brutal Israeli military onslaught on Gaza since October 2023.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.