The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has urged Israel to lift its ongoing ban on humanitarian aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip, warning that life-saving supplies remain blocked while the enclave faces catastrophic famine conditions.

In a statement posted on X, UNRWA said it is fully prepared to resume large-scale humanitarian operations but is unable to act due to the restrictions at Gaza’s crossings.

“We are ready to continue our work. Our warehouses in Egypt and Jordan are full and prepared to handle around 6,000 trucks,” the agency said.

UNRWA stressed that it has the capacity to distribute aid “safely and at scale” inside Gaza, but that the continued closure of land routes prevents essential supplies from reaching those most in need.

Since 2 March, Israel has kept all Gaza crossings shut, effectively halting the flow of humanitarian assistance. Aid organizations say thousands of trucks carrying food, medicine, and relief materials are stalled at border areas while conditions inside the enclave deteriorate rapidly.

Although Israeli authorities allowed a small number of shipments to enter about a month ago, humanitarian groups insist these deliveries are nowhere near sufficient to meet the desperate needs of Gaza’s population.

UN agencies and relief organizations have repeatedly warned that the blockade has plunged Gaza into severe famine, with acute shortages of food and medicine leading to rising deaths from starvation and preventable disease.

Despite mounting international appeals, the restrictions remain in place, leaving hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza dependent on sporadic and inadequate relief. (ILKHA)