UNRWA Warns of ‘Degrading’ Conditions in Gaza Strip: ‘Humanity Is Fading Away’
The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) issued a warning over the “degrading” conditions for people across the Gaza Strip, describing the situation on the ground as “catastrophic.”
“We are in the middle area of the Gaza Strip, and to describe the situation here, it’s just catastrophic. The last couple of weeks we have had relentless forced displacement orders in the middle area, in the southern area, and also in northern Gaza Strip,” Louise Wateridge, senior communications officer UNRWA, told reporters during a virtual news conference.
She emphasized the overwhelming sense of hopelessness among the people, stating, “People have nowhere to go. There is nowhere to find safety.”
Sam Rose, senior deputy field director for UNRWA in Gaza, described the environment as a “perfect storm of conditions” that has led to a resurgence of polio and other health crises.
“Malnourished children are decimated,” he said, “and people are living amid garbage and lakes of sewage.”
Rose called for humanitarian pauses to facilitate vaccination efforts, crucial for combating the spread of polio.
“We estimate that 640,000 children will be vaccinated, with up to 40% receiving their vaccines from UNRWA,” he added.
Noting that the success of polio vaccination campaign will “depend very much on the condition on the ground,” Rose said: “We estimate around 95% of children need to receive the vaccines for the campaign to be a success.”
