Gaza is facing a crisis as it runs out of essential supplies such as food, water, electricity, and water. The 2.3 million residents of the sealed-off enclave cannot receive external aid, and 220,000 displaced people are sheltering in UNRWA-run schools.

The UN World Food Program and UNRWA have delivered fresh bread and food to over 175,000 displaced people across 88 shelters, with plans to reach over 800,000 people across Palestine. UNRWA has announced that 12 of its personnel have been killed since October 7 in the Gaza Strip. The UN agency is mourning the loss and urging protection for UN staff and civilians.

UN-appointed independent rights experts have urged Hamas to release people taken hostage during its attack on Israel and to stop the targeting of civilians in the Palestinian enclave. The experts, including Francesca Albanese, Special Rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory, called for urgent accountability for Hamas’ “horrific crimes” and condemned Israel’s “indiscriminate” attacks against Palestinian civilians in Gaza.

They warned of a severe humanitarian crisis in the enclave and the “inescapable risk of starvation” faced by its population, stating that intentional starvation is a crime against humanity. The current conflict has claimed at least 2,400 lives, with over 100 Israelis and foreign nationals being held hostage in Gaza.