UN Demands Gaza Crossings Reopen
UN spokesperson Farhan Haq, citing the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told reporters that "following missile attacks towards Israel since last night, the Israeli authorities closed the Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem crossing today, which has been the only crossing into Gaza that had been operational for cargo over the past two weeks."
While limited access was briefly preserved, Haq noted: "However, humanitarians were allowed to collect cargo from the Palestinian side of the crossing" — though Israel simultaneously shut down the Rafah crossing as well.
With Gaza's civilian population entirely dependent on external supplies, Haq warned that "people in the Gaza Strip rely on a steady flow of humanitarian and commercial goods from outside," adding that "the UN and our humanitarian partners work hard to maintain a sustained and predictable flow of supplies despite restrictions."
"Such efforts cannot be sustained if crossings remain closed," he said.
Haq conveyed Guterres' alarm directly, stating the Secretary-General is deeply troubled "by the decision to close the Kerem Shalom and Rafah crossings and suspend the entry of supplies into Gaza."
The UN chief's demands were unambiguous. "He calls for the immediate resumption of humanitarian movements at scale into and throughout Gaza and urges all parties to facilitate the rapid, safe, and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance in accordance with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law," Haq told reporters.
Guterres further "underscores that humanitarian assistance is indispensable for the survival and well-being of civilians in Gaza," Haq added, stressing that "humanitarian needs remain immense, and access must remain predictable, sustained, and unimpeded."
When pressed for specifics on the current status of crossings, Haq delivered a stark assessment: "As of right now, none of the crossing points are open."
"The aid distribution is happening within Gaza, but nothing is coming in from outside," he said.
The UN made its position unequivocal. Rejecting the closures outright, Haq stated the organization wants "the previous system of normal humanitarian traffic, normal commercial traffic to be restored, and so we do not accept any of these closures."
Beyond Gaza, Haq drew attention to mounting violence across the occupied West Bank, confirming that Israeli authorities would be investigating the death of a seven-month-old infant after Israeli forces opened fire on a family vehicle in the Tel Rumeida area. "Palestinians in the West Bank must be protected, as required by law, and perpetrators of violations must be held accountable," Haq said.
According to Palestinian figures, at least 951 Palestinians have been killed and 2,984 others wounded in near-daily Israeli strikes since the ceasefire took effect. The occupied West Bank has faced a parallel surge in Israeli military raids, arrests, and settlement expansion since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict in October 2023.
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