LOC03:19
00:19 GMT
NEW YORK, March 6 (KUNA) -- The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned that the recent closure of all crossing points for cargo is undoing critical progress made in delivering vital, life-saving assistance to people in Gaza since the ceasefire took effect on 19 January.
The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) stresses that the cutoff of aid will have far-reaching consequences for women and girls, OCHA noted in a press release on Wednesday.
Over the past 10 weeks, UNFPA and its partners have provided 170,000 women and girls with reproductive health and protection services, set up 16 temporary health facilities, supported thousands of pregnant women, ensured the availability of medicines, distributed shelter kits, and provided vital supplies to nearly 4,500 new mothers.
In a statement, UNFPA underscored the urgency of humanitarian access, stressing that Israel must facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid regardless of whether the ceasefire holds.
OCHA reports that food security in Gaza is also at risk of worsening, according to the statement.
Humanitarian partners warn that if the disruption to aid entry continues, at least 80 community kitchens may soon run out of stock.
Meanwhile, the UN and its partners are still distributing food parcels and flour to households.
These distributions may be reduced or suspended so that bakeries continue to receive the supplies required to keep operating.
Food security partners are also distributing vegetable seeds and animal feed to support the restoration of local food production - thousands of metric tons since the ceasefire began. But this, too, depends on a steady inflow of supplies.
Education is another concern. Access restrictions are making it harder for schools to resume learning, given shortages of educational supplies in the markets.
Some students have been able to return to school after displaced families vacated school buildings that had been used as shelters.
However, they lack proper furniture, clean water, functioning toilets, and basic materials such as notebooks and pens.
Beyond access, OCHA notes that funding for the humanitarian response remains a major challenge.
"More than two months into the year, we have secured less than four percent of the USD four billion required to meet the most basic humanitarian needs across the Occupied Palestinian Territory, especially in Gaza," the statement said, adding that "The scale of needs is staggering - and so is the shortfall."
On a similar note, Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, warned of the huge scale of humanitarian needs and the big gap in funding.
The problem of food insecurity in Gaza continues exacerbating with all border crossing points being closed to food relief.
He cautioned that 80 social kitchens face the specter of closure if the current situation continued. (end)
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