UN scales up Gaza relief operations

United Nations, Oct 15 (IANS) Relief operations in Gaza are scaling up since the ceasefire, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday, noting new Israeli capping of truckloads into the strip.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the Israeli authorities allowed 817 truckloads of relief into Gaza on Sunday. It did not yet have a figure for Monday, and no deliveries were being made on Tuesday. However, the office said there was still an unspecified number of aid truckloads from Monday that had not yet been collected from crossings for distribution in Gaza, Xinhua news agency reported.

Olga Cherevko, spokesperson for OCHA, noted an Israeli statement saying it would limit the number of aid truckloads entering the Gaza Strip to 300 daily because of the delay by Hamas in releasing the bodies of deceased hostages.

"We have received this important communication from the Israeli authorities, and of course, we continue to encourage the parties to adhere to the agreement that has been set out in the ceasefire granted," said Cherevko in a video briefing from Gaza. "We certainly very much hope that the bodies of the hostages are handed over and that the ceasefire continues to be implemented."

OCHA said it is working with its partners to assess people's needs in areas that had previously been inaccessible. An OCHA team on Tuesday visited the Al Kateeba neighborhood in Khan Younis, one of these areas.

The team reported extensive destruction, with large amounts of rubble visible throughout the neighborhood. Partners began clearing main roads to facilitate movement and humanitarian access within the area.

"Before October 2023, about 17,000 people lived in Al Kateeba," the office said. "Community members expressed their eagerness to re-establish makeshift shelters near their damaged homes. Residents told OCHA's team that clearing roads, leveling land, restoring water access and receiving shelter support are essential first steps to enable people's safe return and recovery."

The office said the world body and its partners continue scaling up operations under their 60-day response plan to reach as many people as possible with life-saving assistance.

The World Health Organization said that within 24 hours of the ceasefire, an emergency medical team was deployed to Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza City, and eight trucks carrying medical supplies, including insulin, lab supplies and essential medicine, entered the strip.

OCHA said a solar panel for a desalination unit in Deir al-Balah was installed along with new telecommunications hardware to improve connectivity for affected people and humanitarian operations. Efforts to clear debris from roads, particularly those leading to crossing points, are also under way.

The office said that the Israeli authorities facilitated four UN-led missions to collect medical, health and shelter supplies from the Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem and Kissufim border crossings.

Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, told a regular briefing that the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) reported on the severe threat from unexploded ordinance in Gaza. As hundreds of thousands of displaced people and humanitarian workers move through affected areas following the ceasefire, the risk of encountering these deadly remnants of war is high.

UNMAS and partners have been delivering risk education for communities, especially for children, and training humanitarian and construction workers to operate safely since 2023.

"Additionally, explosive ordnance disposal officers evaluate debris along roads and within damaged buildings to determine whether areas are safe to clear," the spokesperson said. "Their guidance and technical expertise are crucial for mitigating explosive ordnance risks during these high-risk operations."

--IANS

int/rs