Children in Gaza ‘going to bed starving’ amid blockade
The biggest UN aid agency in Gaza on Tuesday condemned the two-month Israeli blockade that has left families with barely enough food to survive, as daily bombardment continues.
Juliette Touma from UNRWA described the Israeli aid ban as a “silent killer” of children and older people:
“What the siege means is that families – whole families, seven or eight people – are resorting to sharing one can of beans or peas. Imagine not having anything to feed your children. Children in Gaza are going to bed starving. The elderly and sick are not able to take to get medical care because of shortages in supplies in hospitals and clinics.”
Ms. Touma said that more than 5,000 trucks carrying lifesaving supplies continue to be denied entry to the enclave.
Rafah in southern Gaza, which used to be the main entry point for aid, has now been “obliterated”, UNRWA said. It noted that forced displacement orders have been put in place for 97 per cent of the city, uprooting around 150,000 people.
Myanmar quake: Ongoing aftershocks spread fear
Aftershocks continue to terrify the people of Myanmar, where millions remain in desperate need of aid a full month since a 7.7 magnitude earthquake killed more than 3,800 people and injured more than 5,000.
In an alert on Tuesday, aid agencies warned that more than 6.3 million people remain in urgent need of support in the worst-affected central areas around Mandalay.
UN aid coordination office, OCHA, said that people continue to sleep outside because they are afraid of returning to their homes. Safe water is also scarce and health services have been disrupted – all reasons why much more support is needed from the international community.
The latest aftershock struck late on Sunday night and measured 4.4 on the Richter scale, according to UN partner the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
In badly affected areas including Mandalay and Bago in the south, some communities suffered unprecedented floods last September. The earthquake disaster has made the situation much worse.
Assessments indicate that the quakes damaged or destroyed 55,000 homes in Myanmar, where civil war has raged since a military coup in February 2021.
Hundreds of thousands of Afghans in danger after being forced to return
As Afghanistan’s deepening humanitarian crisis continues to unfold, UN aid teams warned on Tuesday that it could get worse amid continuing massive pushbacks of its nationals from neighbouring countries.
More than 250,000 Afghan refugees returned in April alone, including 96,000 who were forcibly deported from Pakistan and Iran, said the UN refugee agency, UNHCR.
It has expressed particular concern for women and girls who face repression that is sanctioned by Afghanistan’s de facto authorities in seeking work, education and in being able to move freely, said Babar Baloch, spokesperson for the UN agency:
“We keep telling the governments of Iran and Pakistan that returns to Afghanistan must be voluntary, safe and dignified. Forcing or putting pressure on them to return is unsustainable and could destabilize the region.”
The UN agency also expressed concerns for the safety of forcibly returned human rights activists and journalists to Afghanistan, as well as ethnic or religious minority groups.
Across the country, half the population relies on humanitarian assistance.
Daniel Johnson, UN News
Music composed and produced by Joachim Harris. All rights reserved.
Source of original article: United Nations (news.un.org). Photo credit: UN. The content of this article does not necessarily reflect the views or opinion of Global Diaspora News (www.globaldiasporanews.com).
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