THE UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations (UN) and its humanitarian partners are stepping up efforts to address the growing crises in Gaza and Lebanon, where both regions are grappling with extreme challenges, including access restrictions, food shortages and need urgent reconstruction needs.
During a press briefing on December 9, UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric provided an update on the ongoing humanitarian response.
In Gaza, limited fuel deliveries on December 6 and 8 allowed four bakeries in Gaza City to resume operations, allowing bread distributions to shelters and community kitchens.
However, many other areas continue to suffer, with seven bakeries in the northern Gaza and Rafah governorates remaining closed due to continued hostilities. Additionally, bakeries in Deir al Balah and Khan Younis closed due to flour shortages and safety concerns.
The UN and local humanitarian organizations are focusing their efforts on flour distribution in southern and central Gaza, with 25-kilogram bags distributed to families.
However, the limited supply is exacerbated by soaring flour prices. As of December 1, the price of a 25-kilogram bag reached $280 in Deir al Balah and $245 in Khan Younis, further straining already vulnerable populations.
Health conditions in Gaza are also deteriorating, with poor access hampering malnutrition screenings. Only 151,000 of the 346,000 children under five in Gaza were screened for malnutrition in the fourth quarter of 2024.
Despite logistical challenges, the UN and partners distributed additional food to 146,000 children in several Gaza governorates in November.
Meanwhile, in Lebanon, the UN continues to support the government’s humanitarian response, focusing on providing essential food and water to the southern Lebanon and Nabatieh governorates.
On December 9, lifesaving aid was delivered to these areas to meet the ongoing needs of displaced populations.
Imran Riza, the United Nations humanitarian coordinator for Lebanon, recently visited Dahieh, a southern suburb of Beirut, to assess the situation and engage with local leaders on recovery and reconstruction efforts.
The UN is working closely with municipal leaders to coordinate rehabilitation and reconstruction plans, which are crucial in light of current regional instability.
In related news, the UN Security Council held a closed-door meeting on December 9 to discuss the situation in Gaza. Sigrid Kaag, United Nations Senior Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs and Reconstruction, briefed the Council on the need for political will to ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches those in need.
Kaag stressed that the responsibility for facilitating aid lies with member states and parties involved in the conflict.
Two draft resolutions should be voted on in the coming days.
One calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, following the failure of a similar resolution due to a US veto.
The other urges Israel to respect the mandate of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and allow the agency to continue providing “safe and unhindered humanitarian assistance.”
The resolution follows Israel’s decision to ban UNRWA activities, which is set to take effect on January 28, and which has drawn widespread international condemnation, including from the United States, the main ally of Israel.
The ongoing violence in the region is part of a broader pattern of military action by Israel, including its deadly war on Gaza, which has claimed more than 44,700 lives since October last year, for most women and children.
Lebanese health authorities also reported that since October 2023, Israeli airstrikes and attacks on Lebanon have left more than 4,000 people dead and more than 16,500 injured. Additionally, more than a million people have been displaced due to ongoing violence.
In a significant move last month, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Additionally, Israel now faces a genocide case before the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza, with an Amnesty International investigation also concluding that Israel’s military actions constitute genocide against Palestinians in the region.
