For most people in Gaza, the ceasefire has brought little relief: more than 90% remain in temporary shelters and daily life is still “absolutely horrendous”, a senior UN official said.
EU development ministers, alongside senior figures from the international development, humanitarian aid and global crisis-response sectors, are gathering at Dublin Castle today under Ireland’s EU Presidency.
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The talks are taking place on the eve of the first anniversary of a ceasefire in Gaza and only days after the third anniversary of Hamas’ attacks on Israel.
More than 1,400 people in Gaza have been killed in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
“This is a time when humanitarian needs around the world are going up. Hundreds of millions of people need help, while global funding is going down enormously,” he said.
Palestinians attend the funerals of five people killed in separate Israeli attacks across Gaza City
Mr Fletcher described the ceasefire as a “step forward”, saying the UN had since been able to provide one million hot meals each day and help 100,000 children return to school.
“But life for people in Gaza — over 90% of people are still not living in homes. They are living in temporary shelters.
“Three-quarters of people are relying on water brought in by trucks and are living beside lakes of sewage. We’ve got pandemics and all sorts of challenges there,” he said.
Mr Fletcher said humanitarian agencies were not receiving sufficient access, while funding for the response was continuing to decline.
“We have a long way to go to improve that situation for the people of Gaza and to help people get back to thinking about peace and some kind of sustainable two-state solution,” he said.
At present, he said, the UN had only one functioning crossing, adding that “that is not enough”.
He said the UN also needed all of its NGO partners to be able to operate, amid restrictions imposed on the Israeli side over who can enter.
“We are asking the Israeli authorities to give us much more access than we currently have. We are also in very close touch with the Board of Peace … to get more aid in.
“We want to get rubble clearers in so we can remove the enormous amount of rubble and help people rebuild their lives. And, of course, their loved ones are still underneath that rubble,” he said.
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Mr Fletcher said humanitarian workers had not lost focus on Gaza “for a moment”.
But he said “the world does move on to the next crisis”, pointing to Iran and flooding in Tibet.
“I would love to see the media allowed into Gaza, so that you could tell the world what is happening there.
“Many people have seen those Google Maps showing what Gaza currently looks like. The media should have access to tell that story,” he said.
The World Health Organization warned in September that Gaza was facing another health crisis as the rainy season began, bringing greater risks from mosquitoes and the spread of disease.
Israel has come under mounting international criticism over conditions in Gaza and restrictions on humanitarian aid entering the territory. It has said it is blocking items that could be used for military purposes, while accusing the Hamas militant group of planning further attacks.
