WHO facing ‘near insurmountable challenges’ in Gaza aid delivery
Al Jazeera
The UN says it remains ‘ready’ to deliver aid to Gaza, calls on Israel to approve access requests.
The UN health agency has deplored the lack of access to Gaza for the delivery of much-needed humanitarian assistance, amid intense bombardment in the southern part of the besieged Palestinian enclave.
“Delivering aid to Gaza continues to face near insurmountable challenges,” the World Health Organisation Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus said during a news conference on Wednesday in Geneva.
“We have the supplies, the teams and the plans in place. What we don’t have is access,” he said, stressing that the UN and its partners remained “completely ready” to deliver assistance to Gaza Palestinians.
Israeli authorities have repeatedly refused to allow UN aid teams to deliver desperately needed humanitarian relief inside Gaza, effectively cutting off hospitals and residents from lifesaving medical supplies.
“We call on Israel to approve requests from WHO and its partners to deliver humanitarian aid,” Ghebreyesus said.
