HAMILTON, Canada
The UN relief chief said Monday that significant challenges continue to obstruct humanitarian operations in the Gaza Strip, despite progress made since last month's ceasefire.
"One month after the Gaza ceasefire, we’re continuing to seize every opportunity to save lives," said Tom Fletcher, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator.
Noting that the UN and its partners have made strides in aid delivery, Fletcher said "the UN and our partners have fed more than a million people,” adding that “nutrition sites have been reopened and hospitals are treating more patients."
He said that "roads have been cleared" and that vital services such as immunizations, water line repairs, and the distribution of winter clothes, blankets, and mental health support have resumed.
Warning that "many obstacles remain," Fletcher said the UN is "working to overcome red tape, enable essential humanitarian partners, open more crossings and routes, and navigate continued insecurity."
"With these constraints eased, we can do much more to save many more lives," he added.