Children in Gaza can finally get a hot meal. Middle East: Hope for Positive Change in the Region Peace and Security
The situation in the Middle East remains unstable, but the ceasefire in Gaza, the end of hostilities in Lebanon and the events in Syria are creating conditions for positive changes in the region, said Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, speaking to the Security Council on Thursday.
The meeting was convened by Algeria, which holds the presidency of the Security Council in January, and was devoted to cooperation between the UN and the League of Arab States. One of the key topics of discussion was the situation in and around Gaza.
“Ray of Hope”
“It has been only a few days since the ceasefire and hostage release agreement in Gaza,” Khiari said. “This is a major and long-awaited agreement that gives hope. This long-overdue moment has made it possible to provide much-needed assistance to the Palestinians in Gaza and to reunite the hostages with their loved ones.”
Aid arrives in Gaza
According to reports from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), large volumes of humanitarian aid continue to enter Gaza through the Erez and Zikim crossings in the north and the Kerem Shalom crossing in the south.
The supplies are also being delivered to areas that were recently considered hard to reach. Aid agencies report that conditions for deliveries have improved significantly. Monthly food distributions have resumed in central and southern Gaza.
For now, Gaza is mainly receiving food and fuel, but large quantities of medicine, housing reconstruction materials, and repairs to water and sanitation systems will soon begin arriving.
The situation in the West Bank
As for the situation in the West Bank, OCHA reports that the Jenin public hospital, where the Israeli military operation was conducted, still has no water or electricity, and access is extremely difficult due to damaged roads. For now, the hospital is using water from emergency tanks installed just a few weeks ago with UN support.