Highlights of the Noon Briefing by Spokesperson for secretary-general António Guterres Thursday, 26 October 2023

GAZA

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that – over four consecutive days, from Saturday through Tuesday – 62 trucks traveled through the Rafah crossing from Egypt into Gaza, carrying water, food and medical supplies. Most of this aid has already reached hospitals, ambulances, and internally displaced persons (IDPs). However, the daily average of trucks allowed into Gaza prior to the hostilities was about 500.
Fuel, which is desperately needed to run backup generators, is still unable to get into Gaza. As a result, the UN Relief and Works Agency, UNRWA, has almost exhausted its fuel reserves and began to significantly reduce its operations.
An estimated 1.4 million people in Gaza are internally displaced, with some 629,000 sheltering in 150 UNRWA-designated emergency shelters.
Overcrowding is a growing concern, as the average number of IDPs per shelter has now reached 2.7 times their designated capacity.
Water supply through the network in areas south of Wadi Gaza has temporarily improved. This happened after UNRWA and UNICEF managed to deliver small quantities of fuel they had retrieved from their existing reserves to key facilities. However, the available fuel in these facilities will be exhausted, likely quite soon, and the supply of piped water is expected to cease again.
Earlier today, in a statement, Lynn Hastings, the Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, stressed that the conduct of armed conflict, anywhere, is governed by international humanitarian law.
This means that civilians must be protected and have the essentials to survive, wherever they are and whether they choose to move or stay. She added that it also means that hostages – all hostages – must be released, immediately and unconditionally.


2023-10-27T10:35:02-04:00

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