HAMILTON, Canada

The UN on Tuesday described aid delivery efforts in the Gaza Strip as "opportunistic," citing immense bureaucratic challenges and Israeli restrictions hindering humanitarian operations.

Asked about the UN's humanitarian operations in the enclave, spokesperson Stephane Dujarric responded by saying, "It's opportunistic," referring to efforts to mount a mission, and get people in positions or distribute food.

"We’re doing whatever we can, trying to get medical supplies, trying to get food, but it’s not even a drop in the bucket," he said at a news conference.

Citing the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), he reported that movements inside Gaza remain heavily restricted. On Sunday, the UN made 12 coordination attempts with Israeli security authorities to carry out humanitarian missions.

"Only four were fully facilitated, and just one of those involved the delivery of supplies," said Dujarric. "Another four attempts were denied outright, blocking efforts to evacuate patients, recover broken trucks or remove debris. The remaining four were initially approved, but then faced impediments on the ground, ultimately undermining the team’s ability to carry out the missions as planned.”

UN figures show that more than 658,000 children have been out of school in Gaza for nearly two years, and over 90% of educational facilities have been destroyed in Israeli attacks.

At least 66 children have starved to death in Gaza since October 2023 due to the Israeli siege, Palestinian figures showed.

Israel has kept Gaza's main crossings largely closed since March 2, blocking hundreds of aid and supply trucks. UN agencies said Gaza requires at least 500 trucks daily to meet basic needs, but often fewer than 50 are allowed to enter.

The Israeli army has killed more than 57,500 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in Gaza since late 2023. The relentless bombardment has destroyed the enclave and led to food shortages and a spread of disease.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his 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 war on the enclave.