Development comes as the UN Secretary General António Guterres warned that hunger conflicts is spreading “from Gaza to Sudan and beyond”.
“Hunger feeds instability and undermines peace. We must never accept hunger as a weapon of war, “he said in a video message at the top of the United Nations food systems in Addis Ababa.
Meanwhile, citing reports on Monday that “more children died today of hunger”, the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, said that it hoped to receive permission to bring thousands of trucks loaded with food, medicine and hygiene that Israel prevented from Gaza for months.
“They are currently in Jordan and Egypt while waiting for the green light,” said the United Nations agency, adding that at least 500/600 trucks are needed every day to prevent more people from starving. More than 100 people are now hungry to death in Gaza, UNRWA said, while reports from local health authorities indicate more than 40 malnutrition deaths this month only.
“Opening all passages and flooding of Gaza with aid is the only way to avoid more deepening of famine among the inhabitants of Gaza”, the United Nations agency maintained.
Humanitarian breaks
His comments follow a major change in policy during the weekend when the Israeli army announced the creation of a daily humanitarian break from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., in the local time, in areas where its troops are not active. The malnutrition of children has increased in Gaza, especially since March 2, when Israel has imposed an almost total blockade, UNWRA said.
According to a map provided by the Israeli authorities, the humanitarian break applies to a thin strip of Gaza encompassing Al-Mawasi in the southwest, Deir al-Balah in the center and the city of Gaza in the north.
On Sunday, a convoy of more than 100 trucks with aid supplies would have entered the band via the Kerem Shalom cross -border crossing in the south.
Desperately necessary
While welcoming this development, the United Nations Coordination Office, Ochaa highlighted the amazing scale of field needs in Gaza.
One in three people “has not eaten for days,” insisted Tom Fletcher, UN emergency chief and OCHA chief. “People are slaughtered just by trying to get food to feed their families. Children waste. This is what we are faced with on the ground at the moment. ”
In his declarations. Fletcher has recognized the “progress” on the aid front, but stressed that “large amounts of aid are necessary to avoid famine and a catastrophic health crisis”. He said that the United Nations agencies and the humanitarian community remain mobilized “to save as many lives as possible”.
In addition to the temporary boost of Israel for increased aid in Gaza, customs restrictions on food, medicines and fuel in Egypt would have been lifted. Secure routes for United Nations humanitarian convoys have also been designated.
“We need a sustained action, and quickly, including faster releases for convoys going to the crossing and sending of Gaza,” said Fletcher, highlighting the need for “several trips per day to level passages so that we and our partners can take the cargo; safe routes that avoid crowded areas; And more attacks against the people we make for food. ”
Meeting on a two -state solution
Meanwhile, in New York, France and Saudi Arabia launched a new diplomatic initiative on Monday to put pressure for a two -state solution between Israel and the Palestinian people.
The three -day conference begins when President Emmanuel Macron announced that France will officially recognize Palestine in September, the first G7 nations to do so.
A resolution of the United Nations General Assembly of 1947 established the partition of Palestine – then under British mandate – in two independent states, one Jew and the other Arab. The state of Israel was declared in 1948.
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