The Devastating Aftermath of the War in Gaza
GAZA — The war in Gaza has left a staggering almost 23 million tons of rubble and unexploded weapons scattered across the enclave, UN humanitarians said on Friday.
UNRWA Warns of Continued Humanitarian Emergency
In a fresh alert about the disastrous humanitarian emergency still unfolding in the enclave, the UN agency for Palestinians, UNRWA, said on Friday that it will “take years” before the Strip is made safe again.
Impact on Gazans
The lives of more than two million Gazans have been devastated by daily Israeli bombardment, since Hamas-led terror attacks in Israel on Oct. 7, the UN agency noted in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
UNWRA’s Response
As the largest relief agency in Gaza, UNWRA continues to provide lifesaving supplies and services to more than 1.5 million displaced people in the south of the enclave. The agency runs shelters for more than one million people, providing them with humanitarian relief and primary healthcare.
Challenges in Providing Aid
Lifesaving humanitarian work has continued amid intense Israeli bombardment and ground operations – as well as heavy fighting between Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups. OCHA noted that mine action partners are now carrying out “assessments of explosive threats” and educating Gazans about the dangers.
International Support and Aid Efforts
The news came as Australia became the latest country to announce that it intended to resume funding UNRWA. Efforts to secure a new maritime aid route from Cyprus to Gaza continued on Friday as the NGO ship Open Arms moved closer to the Gaza coastline.
Child Malnutrition Crisis
One in three children under two in the Northern Gaza Strip suffer from acute malnutrition — double the rate of 15.6 per cent in January, UN Children’s Fund UNICEF said on Friday. Malnutrition among children is spreading fast and reaching devastating and unprecedented levels.
Urgent Call for Assistance
“The speed at which this catastrophic child malnutrition crisis in Gaza has unfolded is shocking, especially when desperately needed assistance has been at the ready just a few miles away,” said Catherine Russell, UNICEF executive director.
Screenings conducted for the first time in Khan Younis, in the middle area of the Gaza Strip, found 28 percent of children under two have acute malnutrition, more than 10 percent of which have severe wasting. — UN News
