The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, Unrwa, has accused Israel of weaponising humanitarian aid with its blockade of goods and electricity into Gaza.
Speaking in Geneva, Philippe Lazzarini warned of a renewed hunger crisis if aid supplies did not resume.
Israel stopped the entry of all aid at the beginning of the month, accusing Hamas of rejecting a US proposal to extend the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire.
It also cut off electricity over the weekend – a move the UK and Germany have condemned – with Energy Minister Eli Cohen saying the move aimed to “bring back all the hostages and ensure that Hamas is no longer in Gaza the day after [the war].”
When the truce began, aid supplies increased tenfold, easing food shortages and restoring some health services.
Now those supplies have been blocked and electricity to a major water desalination plant has been cut.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres’s spokesman said this would substantially reduce the availability of drinking water in Gaza.
“The Secretary-General is very concerned about Israel’s decision to limit the electricity supply going into Gaza. This latest decision will substantially reduce the availability of drinking water in the Gaza Strip,” said Stephane Dujarric.
“Starting today, the facility is set to run on backup generators, which will reduce water production capacity. Restoring this connection is vital for tens of thousands of families and children.”
The Israeli government has further said it has not ruled out cutting off water supplies.
Mr Lazzarini also criticised Israel’s move to cut off aid and electricity, saying an increasing impact on the population could be expected.
“Obviously, the risk is that we go back to a situation we experienced months ago about deepening hunger in the Gaza Strip,” he said.
“Whatever the intent is, it’s clearly a weaponisation of humanitarian aid into Gaza. We have seen the situation is deteriorating very, very quickly.”
Israel has banned Unrwa amid claims some of its staff support Hamas and says other aid agencies should step in. But they too are being blocked from Gaza.
Mr Lazzarini said the only viable alternative to the agency was “capable Palestinian institutions… in a Palestinian state”.
Unrwa was continuing to operate in Gaza and the West Bank, he said, adding that the Israeli ban had left it facing “serious operational challenges”.
Israeli negotiators were due in Qatar for talks on extending the ceasefire in Gaza.
Israel wants Hamas to accept an extension of the first phase of their ceasefire.
But Hamas wants to start negotiations on the ceasefire’s second phase, which would see the release of the remaining hostages from Gaza, withdrawal of Israeli forces and a permanent end to war.
Hamas is believed to be holding 24 living hostages as well as the bodies of 35 others.
Hamas’s attack in October 2023 killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, inside Israel and saw 251 people taken hostage. Most have been released in ceasefire agreements or other arrangements.
Israel’s military offensive has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were fighters.
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