“Israel’s repeated evacuation orders, which are now in effect for about 80% of the Gaza Strip, leaves civilians exposed to the danger of hostilities and deprived of access to essential services,” spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at a news conference.
Stating that northern Gaza has been under a tightening siege for nearly two months, Dujarric added around 65,000 to 500,000 people are unable to access regular food, water, electricity or reliable health care.
Dujarric stated that “the entire population of Gaza needs humanitarian assistance”, and stressed the plight of more than 58,000 people with disabilities who are facing additional challenges in accessing food.
In the southern areas of Gaza, he said that “some people are skipping meals and searching through trash to find food”.
Citing the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Dujarric warned that humanitarian access continues to be obstructed.
“In November, out of 578 planned aid movements across Gaza that require coordination with Israeli authorities, only 41% were facilitated. More than a third were denied outright, and the rest were either impeded or canceled due to security and logistical challenges,” he added.
Dujarric reported that aid missions to northern Gaza have been especially disrupted, with efforts to reach besieged areas such as Jabalya, Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun encountering severe obstacles.
Israel has launched a genocidal war on the Gaza Strip following a Hamas attack last October, killing over 44,500 people, most of them women and children, and injuring nearly 106,000.
The second year of the genocide in Gaza has drawn growing international condemnation, with officials and institutions labeling the attacks and blocking of aid deliveries as a deliberate attempt to destroy a population.
On Nov. 21, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its deadly war on Gaza.
