GENEVA

UNICEF spokesperson James Elder told Anadolu he arrived in Gaza ahead of the humanitarian pause between Hamas and Israel and found the situation "worse" than he had imagined.

Elder told in a virtual interview that he witnessed the devastation, trauma and stress on faces when he arrived in the besieged enclave.

"When I got here, I thought the situation was worse than I imagined, and I had thought things would be bad," he said, referring to devasted apartments, streets, cars and the number of killed or displaced civilians and children.

"I went past Gaza City yesterday with a convoy and the devastation of homes, apartments, hospitals -- it's enormous," he said. "A huge number of displaced people living in very difficult conditions. And hospitals are warzones."

He noted that there are children with wounds of war in the hospitals, not just in emergency wards, but outside in car parks and gardens.

"So, it's a desperate situation. There's more than 1.5 million people are displaced," he said.

Elder noted that there are lines for hours for girls to use a bathroom, lack of water and flour also is still a challenge to overcome.

"So, these last four days have been so critical in addressing that," he said, referring to the humanitarian pause.

The spokesperson said a convoy he was in with UNICEF was getting medical supplies, kits for pregnant women, emergency kits for doctors and multivitamins for children.

"Every time a water truck gets to a place, you know, people are so in need of it, that they're almost drinking it straight away," Elder stressed.

Fuel for desalination plants, food and flour, gas for cooking, these things are coming in now, he said.

Elder explained that residents are in great need and the lives of 2 million people have been turned upside down in a short period, and the delivery of aid has been restricted for a long time.

Emphasizing that more than four days will be needed to deliver aid to everyone in need, he pointed out that it is still "very difficult" to reach the north of Gaza.

He said it takes four hours for aid convoys to cover 30 kilometers (18.6 miles).

"It's cold, it's been raining. There is much more support that's needed. We need those winter clothes, we need tents," he said and urged the pause to be extended so that all needed aid could get in.

"Everyone needs respite. Children need respite," he said.

Qatar announced an agreement late Monday to extend an initially four-day humanitarian pause for an additional two days, under which further prisoner exchanges will be carried out.

Israel launched a massive military campaign in the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7.

It has since killed over 15,000 people, including 6,150 children and 4,000 women, according to health authorities in the enclave.

The official Israeli death toll stands at 1,200.