UN Agencies: Over two million trapped in Gaza

Louise Wateridge, Emergency Officer for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in Gaza, stated on Friday that more than two million people remain trapped in dire conditions in Gaza, deprived of their basic needs.

Wateridge emphasised that residents are unable to flee, describing the situation as one where every possible route leads to death.

UNRWA reported that worsening weather conditions in recent days are expected to continue. Despite this, the agency has been forced to prioritise food over shelter assistance.

Supplies intended for Gaza have been held outside the region for six months, leaving UNRWA to make difficult choices between feeding people or providing them with shelter.

"Right now, it seems like any path that people take here, it leads to death." @UNWateridge tells @CNN if it's not the bombs and the strikes, or seeing families burned alive in their tents - people are dying from lack of medicine, spread of treatable diseases and drinking dirty… pic.twitter.com/XanL5oIOKQ

— UNRWA (@UNRWA) December 20, 2024

Meanwhile, the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) expressed deep concern over the ongoing impact of the crisis on children in Gaza.

Rosalia Bolin, UNICEF's Chief Communications Officer in Gaza, stated that the war on children serves as a stark reminder of the global responsibility to end their suffering. Bolin highlighted that a generation of children is bearing the brunt of severe violations of their rights and the destruction of their future.

Bolin described Gaza as one of the most heart-wrenching places for humanitarian workers, where every effort to save a child's life is overshadowed by relentless devastation. For over 14 months, children have lived on the brink of disaster, with reports of over 14,500 children killed and thousands more injured.

UNICEF also warned of the worsening situation as winter sets in. Children in Gaza are enduring cold and damp conditions, many still dressed in summer clothes and walking barefoot. Bolin added that children are scavenging through rubble for plastic to burn for warmth, while diseases are spreading across the region due to the lack of healthcare services and ongoing attacks on hospitals.