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UNITED NATIONS, Oct 15 (APP):Israel announced late on Tuesday that it will restrict the flow of aid to Gaza, accusing Hamas of breaching the ceasefire agreement by returning only four of the bodies of deceased hostages so far.
The Israeli military body which coordinates with the UN and other international organizations, COGAT, said in a statement that starting Wednesday, it will allow only 300 of the previously agreed 600 aid trucks from the UN and other NGOs to enter the Gaza Strip, ending the flow of commercial goods.
COGAT added that no fuel or gas supplies will be allowed into the enclave, except where it relates to humanitarian needs.
In a press briefing on Tuesday, Olga Cherevko, Spokesperson in Gaza for the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, said the agency would continue to encourage the two sides to adhere to the agreements set out in the ceasefire deal.
“We certainly very much hope that the bodies of the hostages are handed over and that the ceasefire continues to to be implemented,” she said.
OCHA is currently implementing a 60-day scale-up plan, while thousands of tonnes of humanitarian aid and supplies have entered Gaza for the first time in months in the past few days.
“Since the ceasefire plan came into effect, the UN and our humanitarian partners have been able to move more freely across parts of Gaza from which Israeli forces have withdrawn, without coordination with Israeli authorities,” said UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq at the daily press briefing in New York.
He listed a number of aid breakthroughs including that the installation of a solar panel for a desalination unit, new telecommunications hardware to improve connectivity, the transfer of life-saving medicines by the World Food Programme (WFP), and other developments.
He highlighted that more can be done: more crossings must open, infrastructure needs to be restored and security guarantees for convoys must be forthcoming.
Farhan Haq shared an update from the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) referring to the serious risks faced by displaced people and humanitarian workers from unexploded ordnance, such as landmines, across the devastated Gaza Strip.
Since October last year, UNMAS has disposed of 550 explosive ordnance items but that is only in areas they were able to access. Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Officers are evaluating the situation and providing guidance to mitigate the risk.
“The ceasefire has ended the fighting, but it hasn’t ended the crisis,” said Ms. Cherevko.
Unexploded ordnance is just one of the many challenges that will need to be addressed during the post-conflict period along with displacement, destroyed infrastructure, the collapse of basic services, and more.
“Scaling up response is not just about logistics and more trucks. It’s about restoring humanity and dignity to a shattered population,” she added.