MOST OF GAZA'S POPULATION RELIES ON AID, ONE MEAL EVERY 24 HOURS - UNRWA

RAMALLAH, Nov 24 (Bernama-WAFA) -- The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said the humanitarian situation in Gaza Strip remains catastrophic despite the ceasefire, Palestine News and Info Agency (WAFA) reported.

It noted that Israel is preventing the entry of its international staff and restricting the delivery of aid, resulting in a backlog of approximately 6,000 food trucks at the crossings.

In a statement, the agency affirmed that more than 90 per cent of Gaza's population is entirely dependent on aid, with many receiving only one meal every 24 hours.

An average of 170 trucks enter the Strip daily, a number far below the minimum required to meet basic needs, while UNRWA currently manages 100 shelters housing more than 80,000 displaced people.

It also continues to provide distance learning services to approximately 300,000 students and in-person education to 50,000 students under harsh and stressful conditions.

The agency stated that some 44,000 children in the Gaza Strip are receiving their education in difficult circumstances within 330 temporary learning spaces located in 59 shelters.

It emphasised that many children are forced to sit on the cold ground due to a lack of desks and chairs, which makes learning more difficult and affects their sense of security and stability.

This situation comes amidst the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Gaza following the genocidal war waged by the Israeli occupation on Oct 7, 2023, the catastrophic repercussions of which continue to this day.

Israeli bombing and widespread destruction led to the loss of schools and educational facilities, prompting UNRWA to convert emergency shelters into temporary learning spaces to meet the urgent educational needs of children.

The agency noted that providing basic necessities like desks and chairs is not only a material benefit but also gives children a sense of stability and hope for a better life after the war.

On the health front, clinics receive 15,000 patients daily across seven centres and 35 mobile medical points.

The number of medical visits since Oct 7 has exceeded 15 million, while malnutrition rates have soared to 90 per cent.

The agency revealed that it has lost 380 staff members since the start of the war, while 90 per cent of its nearly 300 facilities have been damaged by Israeli bombing, leading to a sharp decline in its operational capacity.

-- BERNAMA-WAFA