The United Nations is prepared to mobilize immediate humanitarian aid to Gaza, according to Jorge Moreira da Silva, the Executive Director of the Office of Project Services (UNOPS). In an interview with Euronews, he emphasized that the UN possesses the logistical and humanitarian resources necessary to deliver relief to the affected civilian population in the region.
“The UN is ready. This is the time to act and the UN is ready to act,”
Moreira da Silva highlighted that the organization has stockpiled an impressive 170,000 tonnes of food, medicine, and other essential aid, poised for delivery into Gaza. He elaborated, stating, “In the first 30 days of a ceasefire, we can bring 100 trucks of food daily. We can bring, as we did in the last ceasefire, 1 million litres of fuel. We can put six hospitals functioning, we can increase the access to water and sanitation from 20% to 80%.”
Urgent need for political conditions
In addition to food and medical supplies, UNOPS is equipped to provide tents and shelters. However, Moreira da Silva acknowledged that the critical factor required to initiate operations is the establishment of suitable political conditions. He remarked, “We just need the political conditions.”
As negotiations for a ceasefire continue between representatives of Israel and Hamas in Egypt, UNOPS is currently supplying fuel to the Gaza Strip to maintain essential services such as baking, healthcare, and waste management. “Without fuel, we wouldn’t have any basic human needs,” he emphasized, noting the challenges of transporting fuel under the current circumstances.
UNRWA’s vital role amidst challenges
The UN agency dedicated to Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, has faced scrutiny and allegations from Israel regarding its personnel, with claims that some of its employees are linked to militant activities. According to Israeli officials, approximately a dozen of UNRWA’s 13,000 employees in Gaza were allegedly involved in the attack on October 7, 2023, and many others are said to have sympathies with Hamas. UNRWA has consistently denied these accusations.
In January, Israel implemented laws restricting UNRWA’s operations within its territory, a move that sparked international outcry from both the UN and the global community, which viewed it as detrimental to vital assistance efforts for Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, and throughout the Middle East.
Moreira da Silva underscored the indispensable role of UNRWA in delivering humanitarian aid, stating, “Without UNRWA, it is impossible to operate, because UNRWA is the agency that, for instance, provides direct support on health and education to the children and to the citizens in Gaza.”
Looking ahead, the UNOPS executive director is focusing on future initiatives, particularly the daunting task of clearing 50 million tonnes of waste and rubble accumulated in the enclave, as efforts toward a political resolution for Gaza continue.