DaysofPal- Tom Fletcher, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, said in a press statement Friday that “The UN and its partners have approximately 170,000 metric tons of food, medicine, shelter materials, and other vital supplies pre-positioned across the region, ready to enter Gaza immediately,” Fletcher said.
The senior United Nations official said Friday that U.S. President Donald Trump’s initiative on Gaza has opened “a life-saving window of opportunity” for Palestinians trapped under the ongoing blockade, as the Israeli occupation continues to seal all border crossings into the enclave.
He added that the United Nations stands ready to work within the framework of Trump’s initiative to deliver large-scale relief to Gaza’s 2.3 million residents.
He stressed that the UN’s operational plan for Gaza is not theoretical, noting that during the previous ceasefire, we moved swiftly and comprehensively across the Strip.
Fletcher said the UN is once again mobilizing all its capacities, emphasizing that its plan is neutral, principled, and designed to reach civilians through the safest and most direct routes possible.
To ensure the success of Trump’s initiative, Fletcher outlined several critical requirements: the reopening of Gaza’s crossings, guaranteed safe movement for civilians and aid workers, unrestricted entry of goods, visa approvals for humanitarian staff, and space for humanitarian and private-sector operations to resume.
Describing the current situation as a nightmare in which every minute of delay brings more misery, Fletcher urged all sides to agree on an immediate ceasefire and allow humanitarian access without obstruction.
Since 2 March 2025, the Israeli occupation has kept all Gaza crossings closed, preventing the entry of humanitarian aid and plunging the territory into famine conditions.
Despite thousands of aid trucks stranded at the border, only very limited quantities of relief supplies have been allowed through, insufficient to meet even the bare minimum needs of the starving population.
Many of the aid convoys that manage to enter are reportedly looted by armed gangs under Israeli protection.
“The opportunity is now to act,” Fletcher concluded, warning that continued inaction would deepen what he called “a man-made catastrophe.”
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