Richard Pipperkorn, the representative of the World Health Organization in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, confirmed on Friday that the daily "tactical ceasefire" announced by Israel in southern Gaza had "no impact" on the delivery of humanitarian aid. He cautioned that high temperatures could worsen the health crisis.
During a routine UN press conference in Geneva, he stated, "As the United Nations, we can say we haven't noticed any impact on the delivery of humanitarian aid since the unilateral announcement of this technical ceasefire," adding, "This is the general assessment."
Yens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, mentioned that humanitarian aid has been "very limited." He emphasized that humanitarian workers "cannot safely go to the Kerem Shalom crossing (for goods with Israel) to receive humanitarian assistance due to the lack of security," though he noted that fuel had entered in limited quantities. The fuel is essential for generating electricity crucial for hospitals and bakeries.
Last weekend, the Israeli army announced a daily "tactical humanitarian ceasefire" for specific hours along a main road in eastern Rafah.
On another note, Pipperkorn confirmed that high temperatures in Gaza could exacerbate health problems faced by Palestinians displaced due to Israeli bombardment and violent fighting with Hamas militants.
The UN World Food Program warned of a looming public health crisis in Gaza due to a lack of clean water, food, and medical supplies. Pipperkorn stated, "We have witnessed massive displacement over the past weeks and months, and we know that this mix (of conditions) with heat can lead to an increase in diseases."
He continued, "We have water pollution due to rising water temperatures, and we will see more food spoilage because of the heat. Mosquitoes, flies, drought, and heatstroke will spread." The extreme heat has caused hundreds of deaths worldwide as summer begins in the Northern Hemisphere.