Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza: Calls for Accountability Intensify

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is worsening due to collapsed law and order and the conflict between Israel and Hamas, says UNRWA. Arrest warrants against key leaders from both sides signal a push for accountability. Aid shortages are escalating the enclave's uninhabitability.

A humanitarian disaster in Gaza is escalating, attributed to a breakdown in law and order amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, according to UNRWA's senior official. The region's uninhabitability is further highlighted by freshly issued international arrest warrants.

UNRWA Deputy Commissioner-General Natalie Boucly emphasized the dire need for assistance in Gaza, where a looming famine exacerbates the population's suffering. The Israeli legislative decision to ban UNRWA from operating within its borders, effective late January, threatens to deepen the crisis.

Addressing a conference in Cyprus, Boucly reported a stark reduction in aid trucks entering Gaza, now at risk of being looted by criminal gangs. The issuance of ICC arrest warrants against key Israeli and Hamas leaders marks a step towards accountability for the violations of international law occurring in the region.

(With inputs from agencies.)