GENEVA: The United Nations voiced grave concerns on Wednesday about food and other supplies running out in northern Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of people were already experiencing famine, after Israel closed the only crossing there last week.
Israel began its long-expected ground assault on Gaza City in the north on Tuesday and is stepping up efforts to empty the city of civilians by opening an additional route southwards.
Hundreds of thousands of people are sheltering in the city and many are reluctant to follow Israel’s orders to move because of the dangers along the way, dire conditions, a lack of food in the southern area, and fear of permanent displacement.
“There are grave concerns over fuel and food stock depletion in a matter of days as there are now no direct aid entry points into northern Gaza and resupply from south to north is increasingly challenging due to mounting road congestion and insecurity,” the UN humanitarian office (OCHA) said in a statement.
The Zikim Crossing was shut on September 12 and no aid groups have been able to import supplies since, it said.
Israel’s military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Late on Tuesday it said that humanitarian aid would be allowed to enter northern Gaza, without giving details.
Israel controls all access to Gaza and says it allows enough food aid into the enclave, where it has been at war with Palestinian militants Hamas for nearly two years. It accuses Hamas of stealing aid, which the militants deny.
A global hunger monitor said last month that Gaza City and surrounding areas were officially suffering from famine and that it was likely to spread.
UN warns on supplies for famine-stricken north Gaza after Israel shuts crossing
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UN warns on supplies for famine-stricken north Gaza after Israel shuts crossing
- The Zikim Crossing was shut on September 12 and no aid groups have been able to import supplies since, OCHA said
- A global hunger monitor said last month that Gaza City and surrounding areas were officially suffering from famine
Israel army ‘temporarily suspends’ strike on south Lebanon
- The Israeli military issued a warning earlier on Saturday announcing an imminent strike and warning people in the Yanuh area of south Lebanon to evacuate immediately
JERUSALEM: The Israeli military said it would “temporarily” suspend a strike planned for Saturday that was intended to target what it described as Hezbollah military infrastructure in southern Lebanon.
A November 2024 ceasefire sought to end over a year of fighting between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group, which broke out after the start of the Gaza war in October 2023.
But Israel has repeatedly bombed Lebanon despite the truce, usually saying it is targeting Hezbollah members and infrastructure to stop the group from rearming.
The Israeli military issued a warning earlier on Saturday announcing an imminent strike and warning people in the Yanuh area of south Lebanon to evacuate immediately.
But later Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee said “the strike was temporarily suspended,” adding that the military “continues to monitor the target.”
The suspension came after the Lebanese army “requested access again to the specified site... and to address the breach of the agreement,” he said on X.
Adraee added that the military would “not allow” Hezbollah to “redeploy or rearm.”
The year-old ceasefire monitoring mechanism includes the United Nations, the United States and France.
A Lebanese security source said the army had previously tried to search the building that the Israeli military wanted to target but could not because of objections from residents.
But the source told AFP that the Lebanese army was able to enter and search the building after returning a second time, because residents “felt threatened,” adding that they were evacuated over fears of a strike.
