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UNITED NATIONS | Xinhua | The United Nations is cautioning against a worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza due to dwindling donor support, a spokesperson said Friday.
Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, highlighted a critical situation at the regular press briefing, citing a statement from Philippe Lazzarini, head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
Lazzarini expressed grave concerns over the “colossal humanitarian needs of over 2 million people in Gaza,” which are at risk of worsening after 16 donor countries ceased their financial contributions to the agency.
He emphasized the secretary-general’s appeal for the resumption of funding to UNRWA, stating “if the funding remains suspended, the agency will most likely be forced to shut down operations by the end of February — not only in Gaza but across the region.”
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is escalating, with “thousands of Palestinians continue fleeing to the southern town of Rafah,” now home to “half of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million people,” who are living in “makeshift structures, tents, or out in the open,” as per UNRWA’s reports.
Additionally, UNICEF has raised alarms over the welfare of children in the region, estimating “at least 17,000 children in the Gaza Strip are unaccompanied or separated from their families,” which is “1 percent of the overall displaced population of 1.7 million people.”
The psychological toll of the conflict on children is profound, with UNICEF estimating that “almost all children in the Gaza Strip need some sort of mental health or psychosocial support — that’s more than 1 million children.”
Despite efforts to provide aid, “UNICEF and its partners have provided this kind of support to more than 40,000 children and 10,000 caregivers,” which Dujarric notes is “far from sufficient.”
The spokesperson underscored that “the only way to deliver these services at scale is with a humanitarian ceasefire,” highlighting the urgent need for renewed support and peace efforts to address the humanitarian crisis. ■
