UN Secretary-General Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq’s Statements on Gaza
Deputy Spokesperson of the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Farhan Haq shared important information about the humanitarian situation in Gaza at the daily press conference. Haq stated that “The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has observed thousands of people fleeing westwards towards Al-Mawasi, according to received information from our partners on the ground.”
Recalling that the Israeli army issued a new evacuation order early this morning, Haq said, “According to initial estimates, more than 15,500 people have been affected in this area, which includes more than 30 neighborhoods.” Once again, all parties, international humanitarian lawCalling on the people to comply with their obligations under the scope of the Convention, Haq underlined that “care must be taken to protect civilians and civilian objects.”
Obstacles to Food Access in Gaza
Deputy Spokesperson of the Secretary-General Haq said that convoys run by the UN World Food Program (WFP) were unable to deliver essential food to Palestinians due to the Israeli army bombing all roads and crossing points in Gaza. “The ongoing hostilities have severely damaged roads and the lack of public order and security has greatly hampered food transportation operations in Gaza,” Haq said.
Haq noted that WFP reached nearly 1 million people in Gaza in July, but stressed that “the number of food distribution points continues to decrease due to evacuation orders and damage to infrastructure.” This situation is expected to bring the number of people suffering from food shortages in Gaza to 600,000.
