On September 16, 2024, the UN’s Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza, Sigrid Kaag, addressed the Security Council, stressing that more action is urgently needed to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza. Kaag highlighted the slow progress in providing essential aid and commercial goods, despite efforts to negotiate access and strengthen supply routes through Egypt, Jordan, Cyprus, and Israel.
Kaag, tasked with overseeing the implementation of UN resolution 2720 after the October 7 Hamas-led attacks, called for immediate ground action to ensure aid reaches civilians. She noted that the breakdown of law and order, continued hostilities, and logistical challenges are severely hindering aid distribution. Kaag warned that delays in aid delivery directly cost lives and urged that political commitments be translated into tangible efforts on the ground.
While some progress has been made in waste management and sewage systems, crucial supplies like cash, fuel, and hygiene products are still lacking. Kaag emphasized the need for comprehensive solutions, underscoring that humanitarian aid is a temporary measure and a two-state solution remains the path to lasting peace.
UNOPS is working with Egyptian authorities to further streamline aid delivery routes and has facilitated the transport of over 20,000 metric tonnes of aid, including medical supplies and food, through various corridors. However, Kaag emphasized that more political will and security guarantees are needed to ensure the effective distribution of aid in Gaza.
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