GAZA AID OPERATIONS REMAIN RESTRICTED DESPITE CEASEFIRE - UN SPOKESPERSON

WASHINGTON, Oct 31 (Bernama-WAFA) -- Humanitarian operations in Gaza remain heavily constrained despite the ongoing ceasefire, with Israel continuing its border control and damaged infrastructure in the strip, Palestine News and Info Agency (WAFA) reported, citing United Nations (UN) spokesperson Farhan Haq.

“The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says the scale-up of humanitarian operations continues under the ceasefire, but remains constrained by ongoing restrictions and other impediments,” he said in a press briefing.

Haq said, according to OCHA, aid convoys have faced repeated rerouting orders from Israel for three consecutive days, forcing them to use the Philadelphi Corridor along the border with Egypt before moving north through the narrow and heavily congested Coastal Road.

“This road is narrow, damaged, and heavily congested. Movement remained slower, even after the World Food Program repaired the road. Additional crossings and internal routes are needed to expand collections and response,” he said.

Turning to the occupied West Bank, he noted that Ramiz Alakbarov, Deputy Special Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, conducted a field visit to the Ramallah area to shed light on the challenges farmers are encountering during the olive harvest season.

“So far this month, 126 settler attacks related to the olive harvest have caused casualties or damage across 70 villages,” Haq said, citing OCHA’s data as of Monday.

He added that farmers have been assaulted, their crops and tools stolen, and more than 4,000 olive trees vandalised, leaving at least 124 Palestinians injured.

--BERNAMA-WAFA