Today's top news: Occupied Palestinian Territory

Occupied Palestinian Territory

Intense ground operations and fighting between Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups continue in most areas of Gaza, as the scale of attacks and devastation impedes the delivery of aid. Operational challenges due to insecurity, blocked roads and a scarcity of fuel are also hampering the humanitarian response.

OCHA is also warning of the impact of telecommunications blackouts on relief efforts, as access to communication and internet service remains unreliable. Yesterday and overnight, the primary telecommunications provider in the Gaza Strip reported another halt those services, citing damage to its infrastructure.

Even in the face of these challenges, the humanitarian community in Gaza is seizing every opportunity to deliver life-saving assistance wherever and whenever possible.

Between 23 December and yesterday, the World Food Programme (WFP) reached about half a million people internally displaced in UN shelters south of Wadi Gaza with food parcels, wheat flour, high-energy biscuits and nutrition supplements. WFP is also assisting thousands of people outside shelters via partner distribution points and community kitchens, and the agency is working to deliver 50 tons of wheat flour to more than a dozen bakeries in Gaza.

Meanwhile, it is critical that the commercial and public sectors resume so that supermarket shelves can be replenished.