The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) currently has enough humanitarian aid to fill around 6,000 trucks, ready for immediate dispatch once Israeli occupation authorities grant approval, according to Tamara Al-Rifai, Director of External Relations and Communications at UNRWA.
اضافة اعلان
Speaking to Al-Mamlaka TV on Wednesday, Al-Rifai said that the available food stock is sufficient to meet the needs of about two million people for three months, in addition to essential household items for one million people. However, she noted that all these supplies remain blocked from entering Gaza.
“The humanitarian assistance—which includes food, medicine, medical supplies, blankets, and tents—has been ready for months,” she said, “but it remains stuck in UNRWA warehouses in both Jordan and Egypt, awaiting Israeli authorization for entry into Gaza.”
“So far, there has been no change in the Israeli stance, which continues to impose strict restrictions that obstruct UNRWA’s operations, despite the worsening humanitarian catastrophe inside the Strip,”
Al-Rifai stated, emphasizing that UNRWA continues to operate under extremely difficult conditions.
She added, “We are the largest humanitarian organization operating in the Gaza Strip, and we have never stopped delivering our services.”
Medical Services
Al-Rifai explained that UNRWA’s medical teams have continued providing care throughout the war, delivering over 10 million medical consultations in the past two years, despite the targeting and destruction of numerous health facilities. The agency also established mobile clinics and field health points to ensure continued access to healthcare—currently providing about 15,000 consultations daily, along with vaccinations, maternal care, and treatment for chronic diseases.
She noted that UNRWA works in coordination with other UN agencies, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), which facilitates the entry of medicines into Gaza, while UNRWA oversees their distribution and delivery of health services.
Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene
On the issue of water and sanitation, Al-Rifai said UNRWA is making continuous efforts to pump clean water and manage waste to maintain a minimum level of public health. She warned that sustaining these services depends on the urgent entry of additional aid.
Education in Gaza
Al-Rifai revealed that around 180 educational facilities affiliated with UNRWA have been destroyed or severely damaged, with most being converted into shelters for displaced families.
She added that approximately 660,000 school-age children in Gaza have been deprived of education for the third consecutive year, leading to a serious educational gap.
UNRWA, she said, is in urgent need of rehabilitating schools and bringing children back to learning, even partially, as education plays a crucial role in the psychological and social recovery of children.
“Education is a core value for Palestinian families,” Al-Rifai concluded, “and it represents hope for a better future.”
