Dujarric informed the media at a press conference that UN officials at the scene are reporting that "Israeli restrictions on importing crucial equipment, including communication devices, are significantly impeding safe and effective aid operations throughout Gaza."
Of the 29 planned UN aid missions into Gaza for the initial two weeks of January, only seven have the potential to be fully or partially carried out, as per Dujarric's statement.
The World Health Organization reveals that over 50 percent of children under five are already suffering from diarrhea due to the lack of access to clean water in Gaza, exacerbated by Israel throttling the flow of aid into the Strip.
Furthermore, a significant portion of Gaza's residents face challenges in obtaining medicines for common diseases. (Related: UN official: Israel-Palestine war brings FAMINE at incredible speed, leaving hundreds of thousands starving in Gaza.)
The Israeli military has caused the deaths of approximately 25,000 Palestinians in Gaza, with more than half being women and children. The indiscriminate carpet bombing campaign has led to the displacement of 85 percent of the population.
Israel accused of using starvation as a weapon
Last month, Human Rights Watch released a report accusing the Israeli government of employing the starvation of civilians as a method of warfare in the occupied Gaza Strip, asserting that it amounts to a war crime.
The report alleges that Israeli forces are deliberately obstructing the delivery of critical supplies, including water, food, and fuel, while actively impeding humanitarian assistance.
Furthermore, it contends that agricultural areas are systematically razed, exacerbating the deprivation of the civilian population.
According to the report, the accusations are grounded in statements made by high-ranking Israeli officials, including extremists in the cabinet of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu like Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Energy Minister Israel Katz.
These officials openly expressed their intention to cut off the civilian population in Gaza from essential resources, leading Human Rights Watch to conclude that such statements reflect a policy being executed by Israeli forces.
The report emphasizes that the deliberate deprivation of food and water has persisted for over two months, resulting in severe consequences for the civilian population. The impact of the blockade on Gaza, according to Human Rights Watch, constitutes collective punishment and is classified as a war crime.
The blockade has left the population almost entirely reliant on Israel for access to crucial commodities, and the destruction of vital infrastructure, including water and sanitation facilities, hospitals and agricultural sectors, has compounded the already dire humanitarian situation.
The report further underscores the enduring nature of the blockade, which, in its more than 16-year existence, has left Gaza's population dependent on Israel for access to fuel, electricity, medicine, food and other essential commodities. Human Rights Watch calls for an immediate cessation of the use of starvation as a method of warfare, the lifting of the blockade, and the restoration of access to water and electricity.
In a call to action, the organization urges concerned governments, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany and others, to suspend military assistance and arms sales to Israel as long as widespread and serious abuses against civilians persist with impunity.
The report concludes by emphasizing that the Israeli government's actions, as outlined, constitute a cruel use of starvation as a weapon of war, contributing to a deepening humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. Human Rights Watch stresses the urgency of an effective response from the international community to address the dire situation, emphasizing the need for immediate humanitarian intervention to alleviate the suffering of the civilian population.
The report paints a stark picture of the challenges faced by the people in Gaza, shedding light on the gravity of the situation and calling for accountability and remedial action on the part of the international community to address the crisis.
Watch this short clip of displaced Palestinians in Gaza being forced to collect rain water for drinking due to the Israeli blockade of the Strip.
This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calls for immediate humanitarian CEASEFIRE in Gaza.
UN official accuses Israel of plotting MASS EXPULSION of Gazans into Egypt.
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