Latest news with #Ocha
Middle East Eye
a day ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
UN says that tactical pauses do not allow for adequate aid to enter Gaza
The United Nations office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs (Ocha) said on Wednesday that tactical pauses do not allow for the continuous flow of humanitarian aid required to meet the immense needs levels in Gaza. Israel launched daily pauses in its military operations in some parts of the Gaza Strip this week to enable UN agencies and other aid groups to distribute food in the densely populated territory of more than two million. Ocha warned that four days into Israel's tactical pauses, deaths from hunger and malnutrition were still occurring, as were casualties among those seeking aid. "Desperate, hungry people" continue to offload the small amounts of aid from the trucks that are able to exit the crossings, it said in a statement. Ocha also said fuel deliveries were nowhere near what is needed to keep health, emergency, water, and telecommunications services running in the besieged Palestinian territory. "Current fuel entries are insufficient to meet life-saving critical needs and represent a drop in the ocean," it also added in a statement. "While the UN and its partners are taking advantage of any opportunity to support people in need during the unilateral tactical pauses, the conditions for the delivery of aid and supplies are far from sufficient," the agency continued. "For example, for UN drivers to access the Kerem Shalom crossing - a fenced-off area - Israeli authorities must approve the mission, provide a safe route through which to travel, provide multiple 'green lights' on movement, as well as a pause in bombing, and, ultimately, open the iron gates to allow them to enter."
Straits Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Gaza civil defence says 30 killed in food queue by Israeli fire
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox UN humanitarian agency Ocha said that four days into Israel's 'tactical pauses', people were still dying from hunger and malnutrition. GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories - Gaza's civil defence agency said Israeli forces killed at least 30 people when they opened fire on July 30 on a crowd waiting for humanitarian aid in the north of the Palestinian territory. The Israeli military said it had no knowledge of casualties in the incident north of Gaza City, as the United Nations said that pauses in Israel's offensive against Hamas were not enough to help the population through a deepening hunger crisis. The UN humanitarian agency, Ocha, said that four days into Israel's 'tactical pauses' , people were still dying from hunger and malnutrition, alongside casualties among those seeking aid. Gaza civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP that 'at least 30 martyrs were killed' and 300 wounded when Israeli forces opened fire on people waiting for aid north of Gaza City. Mr Mohammed Abu Salmiya, director of Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, said his facility had received 35 bodies from the shooting, which reportedly struck about 3km south-west of the Zikim crossing point for aid trucks entering Gaza. The Israeli army said that dozens of Gazans were seen 'gathering around aid trucks in northern Gaza, and in close proximity to IDF (army) troops operating in the area. 'The troops fired warning shots in the area, not directed at the gathering, in response to the threat posed to them. According to an initial inquiry, the IDF is not aware of any casualties as a result of IDF fire. The details of the incident are still being examined.' Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. 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Pauses not enough Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties accessing many areas mean AFP cannot independently verify tolls and details provided by the civil defence and other parties. Gaza has been in the grip of war for almost 22 months and, according to a UN-mandated report, its two-million-plus inhabitants now face an unfolding famine . The war was triggered by Hamas's Oct 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Of the 251 hostages taken during the attack, 49 are still held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed at least 60,138 people in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run government's health ministry. Food aid air drops Amid an international outcry over Gaza's food crisis, Israel has observed a daytime pause in military operations since the weekend on secure routes and in built-up areas to boost aid delivery and distribution. Air drops of food have also been staged by the Jordanian air force, the United Arab Emirates and Britain. France said it plans to start delivering 40 tonnes of aid from Aug 1. Ocha said that the conditions for delivering aid were 'far from sufficient' to meet the immense needs of its 'desperate, hungry people'. Israel's pauses alone 'do not allow for the continuous flow of supplies required to meet immense needs levels in Gaza', Ocha said in an update. 'For example, for UN drivers to access the Kerem Shalom crossing – a fenced-off area – Israeli authorities must approve the mission, provide a safe route through which to travel, provide multiple 'green lights' on movement, as well as a pause in bombing, and, ultimately, open the iron gates to allow them to enter.' 'Desperate, hungry people' offload the small amounts of aid from the trucks that are able to exit the crossings, it added. Ceasefire talks halted Amid deadlocked talks on a ceasefire, US special envoy Steve Witkoff was scheduled to visit Israel on July 31. Mr Witkoff has been involved in indirect ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas. The discussions broke down last week when Israel and the United States recalled their delegations from Doha. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel and the United States were 'considering alternative options to bring our hostages home'. Mr Witkoff 'will meet with officials to discuss next steps in addressing the situation in Gaza', a US official told AFP. Arab countries including Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Egypt called this week on Hamas to disarm and end its rule of Gaza, in a bid to end the devastating war. AFP
Middle East Eye
6 days ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
UN aid chief demands evidence after Israel accuses staff of links to Hamas: Report
United Nations aid chief Tom Fletcher has demanded that Israel provide evidence for its accusations that staff with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) have links to Hamas, the Reuters news agency reported on Friday, citing a letter it had reviewed. Hamas, as the governing party in Gaza, is responsible for all administrative and bureaucratic tasks in the Strip. Earlier this week Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon declared that Fletcher and Ocha were no longer neutral and that hundreds of Ocha employees would undergo security vetting. Israel would also restrict Ocha visas to one month, he said. Danon did not provide any evidence to back up his statements. Fletcher sent his letter to the Security Council on Thursday, Reuters said. "I expect the Israeli authorities to immediately share any evidence that led them to make such claims to the council," Fletcher reportedly wrote.
AsiaOne
6 days ago
- Politics
- AsiaOne
UN aid chief demands evidence after Israel accuses staff of links to Hamas, World News
UNITED NATIONS — United Nations aid chief Tom Fletcher has demanded that Israel provide evidence for its accusations that staff with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) were affiliated with Palestinian militants Hamas, according to a letter seen by Reuters on Friday (July 25). At a UN Security Council meeting on Wednesday, Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon declared that Fletcher and Ocha were no longer neutral and that hundreds of Ocha employees would undergo security vetting. Israel would also restrict Ocha visas to one month, he said. "Israel has uncovered clear evidence of Hamas affiliation within Ocha's ranks," Danon told the 15-member council without providing evidence. In a letter to the Security Council on Thursday, Fletcher said Danon's remarks were the first time any such concern had been raised and that the accusations were "extremely serious and have security implications for our staff". "I expect the Israeli authorities to immediately share any evidence that led them to make such claims to the council," Fletcher said. He noted that around the world Ocha engages with all parties to armed conflict to secure humanitarian access, press for the protection of civilians and promote respect for humanitarian principles, adding: "As Israeli authorities know, our contacts with Hamas have also supported hostage releases." Israel is committed to helping civilians and getting aid to those in need, Danon said, though he warned: "We will not work with organisations that have chosen politics over principles." The war in Gaza was triggered on Oct 7, 2023, when Hamas killed 1,200 people in southern Israel and took some 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Since then, Israel's military campaign has killed nearly 60,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities, and reduced much of the enclave to ruins. "We must hold all parties to the standards of international law in this conflict," Fletcher wrote in his letter. "We do not choose between demanding the end to the starvation of civilians in Gaza and demanding the unconditional release of all the hostages." Israel, which controls all supplies entering Gaza, denies it is responsible for shortages of food. ALSO READ: Netanyahu, Trump appear to abandon Gaza ceasefire negotiations with Hamas
Middle East Eye
24-07-2025
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Israel escalates pressure on UN aid agency amid Gaza hunger crisis
The UN's humanitarian agency, Ocha, has warned that Gaza is enduring an unprecedented hunger crisis, describing aid deliveries as 'a trickle' compared to the soaring needs on the ground. 'Ocha warns that the hunger crisis in Gaza has never been so dire,' the agency said in a new update. 'All too often, civilians approaching UN trucks are shot at.' Israel has accused the UN agency of bias. Danny Danon, Israel's ambassador to the UN, said without any proof this week that there is 'clear evidence of Hamas affiliations within Ocha's ranks'. On Wednesday, Israeli authorities announced they would impose tighter restrictions on Ocha, including vetting hundreds of its employees and refusing to extend the visa of its head of office. The UN has pushed back, saying Secretary-General Antonio Guterres 'has full confidence in [Ocha's] professionalism and impartiality'. 'Any punitive measures will only add to the obstacles preventing humanitarians from reaching people facing hunger, displacement and deprivation,' the agency said
