Fletcher issued a written statement regarding his visits to the Middle East last week. He detailed meetings with U.N. staff, officials, and communities in Damascus, Homs, Aleppo, Idlib, Ankara, Beirut, Nabatieh, and Amman. He concluded his trip by engaging with humanitarian teams in the occupied Palestinian territories.
People look for survivors following an Israeli strike on a home belonging to the al-Zaytouniyah family, in the al-Daraj neighbourhood in Gaza City, in the central Gaza Strip, December 19, 2024. (AFP Photo)
Over 100 aid requests for Gaza denied by Israel since Oct. 6: UN
GAZA CITY, GAZA - DECEMBER 13: Palestinian residents of the area inspect the targeted building and surrounding structures that sustained damage after Israeli attack on Nuseirat Refugee Camp in Gaza City, Gaza on December 13, 2024. The death toll from an Israeli airstrike on the Nuseirat refugee camp has risen to 33, with 84 others injured and missing, the Gaza-based Government Media Office said. ( Ali Jadallah - Anadolu Agency )
Key concerns in Gaza
Fletcher referenced the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) upcoming provisional measures on the application of the Genocide Convention in Gaza, expected in January 2024. He highlighted the severe conditions in Gaza, stating:
"There is no safe place for civilians in Gaza."
Schools, hospitals, and civilian infrastructure have been reduced to rubble.
Northern Gaza has been under near-total siege for over two months, exacerbating fears of famine.
Fletcher pointed out that this situation has caused extreme overcrowding and dire living conditions in southern Gaza. As winter intensifies, humanitarian needs in Gaza are escalating further. He also noted that Israel continues to issue evacuation orders and conduct attacks on densely populated areas.
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Displaced Palestinians wait to receive United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) aid, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, March 7, 2024. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem?
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A damaged sign is pictured at the headquarters of UNRWA, following an Israeli raid, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, in Gaza City, July 12, 2024. (Reuters Photo)
Aid delivery challenges
Despite efforts to deliver aid, Fletcher emphasized that Gaza has become the deadliest and most dangerous location for humanitarian workers over the past year. He stated:
"Despite enormous humanitarian needs, delivering even a fraction of the urgently needed assistance to Gaza has become almost impossible."
"Israeli authorities continue to reject our meaningful access requests. Since October 6, over 100 requests to access northern Gaza have been denied."
He also noted the growing lawlessness, with local gangs systematically looting aid supplies under arms.
Worsening conditions in West Bank
Fletcher warned that the humanitarian situation in the occupied West Bank is also deteriorating. He pointed to the rising death toll, which has reached its highest recorded levels.
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