The UN’s senior humanitarian aid coordinator for Gaza, Sigrid Kaach, briefed the members of the Security Council on the situation in the region on Wednesday.

In recent months, Ms Kaah has discussed detailed proposals with the governments of Israel, Jordan, Egypt and Cyprus to speed up and streamline the delivery of goods to Gaza and ensure a consistent supply corridor for safe distribution across the Strip. Gaza.

As for Cyprus, Sigrid said that “the Cyprus Sea Corridor has worked additively in the distribution of humanitarian aid to Gaza. But it can never replace overland deliveries. Land routes are the only way to transport the bulk of what is needed supplies”.

“Preparations for the construction (…) of a jetty on the shores of Gaza are progressing, with the participation of the US and other member states. The UN has outlined the parameters under which it can play an important role in the distribution of aid through this corridor. “My office has proposed a multi-donor funding mechanism and is providing secretariat support to the sea corridor to ensure full coordination with operations on the ground in Gaza. UN observers have been deployed to Cyprus as part of Mechanism 2720,” Sigrid Kaach stressed.

For the coordinator, UNRWA (the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East) is vital in providing life-saving humanitarian aid and basic social services, particularly health and education, to Palestinian refugees.

“Therefore, UNRWA is irreplaceable and indispensable as a humanitarian lifeline and must be allowed to fulfill its mandate,” he insisted.

It said that on April 5, the Israeli government made several commitments to improve aid delivery, responding to requests from the UN and the international community. A number of measures have been taken, including an increase in the amount of aid cleared, inspected and passed into Gaza, the temporary opening of the Eretz crossing and the opening of Ashdod port for humanitarian goods, an increase in the number of trucks entering Gaza directly from Jordan via bridge as well as increased access to the North, the preparation of other northern crossings, the continued use of Gate 96, the extension of operating hours at the Kerem Shalom and Nitsana crossings, the resumption of bakery operations in northern and central Gaza, and the repair of the Nahal Oz water supply line.

During the briefing Mrs. Kaah also pointed out that the UN is in contact with the Israeli government for other measures that need urgent or continuous implementation. These include issues related to checkpoints, road repair, timely clearances to allow humanitarian convoy movements to take place as planned, approval of additional communication devices, armored vehicles and spare parts for critical equipment. He reiterated that the implementation of the agreement on the evacuation of doctors and wounded is equally urgent.

“Delivering aid at scale requires a functioning humanitarian notification system – and improved and direct communication between humanitarian and military decision-makers on the ground. Effective and reliable de-escalation is vital for all humanitarian actors in the field. This list of key measures is not exhausting. Implementation is urgent,” Ms. Kaah said.

Concluding her speech, Sigrid Kaah referred to the dangers of a possible large-scale ground military operation by the Israeli army in Rafah.

“I would like to reiterate the grave concern of the United Nations at the prospect of an Israeli operation in Rafah,” which “would add to the ongoing humanitarian disaster, with consequences for people already displaced and enduring severe hardship and suffering. The UN’s ability to offers will be limited,” he warned.