Palestinians in Gaza are “desperate” as food and water shortages continue to hit the besieged strip, aid workers have said.
Israel blocked supplies into the territory in the wake of Hamas’s brutal October 7 terror attack in which over 1,200 people were murdered and 240 taken hostage.
Its counter-attack has seen more than 14,800 Palestinians, including 6,150 children, killed, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry.
The deal survived a threat over the weekend when Hamas’s armed wing said it was delaying hostage releases until Israel met all truce conditions, including committing to allowing more desperately needed food and water in through northern Gaza.
James Elder, from the United Nation’s Children’s Fund (Unicef), said: “The world needs to see what is happening to children here in Gaza.”
He described the people trapped there as thin, gaunt and thirsty as humanitarian groups are on track to deliver the biggest shipment to the area in more than a month.
“People are so desperate and you can see in adults’ eyes they haven’t eaten,” he said after returning from Gaza City.
“People are so terrified that this pause won’t be continued.”
As aid deliveries flowed north, hundreds of people have been heading in the other direction, fearing the renewal of Israeli bombardments if the truce is not prolonged, Mr Elder added.
Qatari diplomats are on site in Gaza to supervise the entry and delivery of their country’s aid, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry has said.
Meanwhile, China’s top diplomat will travel to New York to lead a UN Security Council meeting on the war on Wednesday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Monday.
Foreign minister Wang Yi will chair the meeting as China currently holds the Security Council presidency.
