UN warns of worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza

Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, on Friday warned of a deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, calling for urgent measures to avert further hunger-related deaths.

In a post on social media platform X, Lazzarini expressed concern over the aid distribution mechanism led by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a private organization backed by the United States and Israel.

"The flawed distribution system is not designed to address the humanitarian crisis. It's serving military and political objectives. It's cruel as it takes more lives than it saves lives," he said.

Earlier on Friday, the Israeli military said it had agreed to allow countries to begin airdropping aid into Gaza. Lazzarini, however, described airdrops as "the most expensive and inefficient way" to deliver humanitarian assistance.

According to the UN official, approximately 6,000 trucks loaded with food and medical supplies remain stalled in Egypt and Jordan. "The unfolding famine can only be reversed by a political will," he emphasized.

Lazzarini further warned that failure to act effectively in Gaza could set a dangerous precedent for future humanitarian responses elsewhere.

"If we fail the Palestinians in Gaza, others are likely to be let down in the future," he said.

Gaza's health authorities on Friday reported nine additional deaths from hunger and malnutrition in the past 24 hours, raising the total number of related fatalities to 122 since the start of the ongoing conflict in October 2023.