The UN has reported that it has documented nearly 850 Israeli checkpoints, gates, and other physical obstacles across the occupied Palestinian territory, marking the highest number recorded in the past two decades.
"Israeli closure of all crossings for incoming cargo has entered its 20th day, the longest shutdown since the 7th of October, 2023," UN spokesperson Farhan Haq said at a news conference on Friday.
Noting that the latest Israeli closures of crossings are causing a "devastating impact on people already facing catastrophic conditions," Haq said that it is reversing the "progress made by the UN and our humanitarian partners during the first six weeks of the ceasefire."
Citing the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), he warned that "humanitarian operations are now being severely hampered by hostilities."
"Civilians, including aid workers and civilian assets, have come under attack.
TRT Global - "We can stretch that by giving people less. But, we're talking days now rather than weeks", an official says.
Displacement continues
The UN is seeking concrete assurances for the safety of staff and operations in Gaza, following the killing of six UN personnel and injury of several others this week, including in the attack on a designated UN compound," Haq said.
He also reported that over 120,000 Palestinians have been displaced once again this week due to intensified attacks and new Israeli evacuation orders across Gaza.
"That’s about 6 percent of the surviving population," Haq noted.
Stating that the latest OCHA findings revealed "movement obstacles across the occupied territory," he said that the findings "recorded nearly 850 checkpoints, gates, and other physical obstacles, the highest number documented in any of the 16 surveys OCHA has conducted over the past two decades."
"In just the past three months, three dozen new movement obstacles have been established, most of them following the announcement of the Gaza ceasefire in mid-January," he said.
