TEHRAN, Jan. 07 (MNA) - The United Nations expressed grave concern following the death of a one-month-old baby in Gaza due to hypothermia, marking the eighth such fatality in less than three weeks. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric stated during a news conference that the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is alarmed by the reports from the Ministry of Health.
Dujarric emphasized that these deaths are preventable if aid reaches families in Gaza, highlighting that Israel's ongoing hostilities have worsened the humanitarian crisis, leading to daily civilian casualties and significant displacement.
He noted the recent Israeli shelling of a UN school that had been converted into a shelter, reiterating that civilians and humanitarian infrastructure must be protected under international humanitarian law.
The UN has faced constraints in accessing besieged areas of North Gaza, with three attempts to deliver aid over the past three days being denied. Of the 37 planned UN-led humanitarian missions over the weekend, only 12 were facilitated, while 15 were denied, nine impeded, and one canceled due to logistical issues.
Dujarric reported ongoing armed looting of humanitarian aid convoys in southern and central Gaza, mentioning that eight fuel trucks were seized, with two later recovered. He urged Israel to facilitate the swift flow of aid, fuel, and commercial goods into Gaza through multiple entry points to prevent further looting.
In response to a question regarding an Israeli attack on a World Food Program (WFP) convoy, Dujarric stated that there is no justification for firing on a clearly marked convoy that had coordinated its movements with Israeli security forces.
The ongoing conflict has displaced nearly 2 million of Gaza's 2.3 million residents, forcing them to live in tents or shelters amidst severe shortages of food, water, and medical supplies. Since October 7, 2023, the Israeli military operations have resulted in almost 46,000 deaths, predominantly among women and children, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.