Muscat: The United Nations rejected the Israeli occupation’s proposal to deliver aid to Gaza under the control of its forces. The UN Humanitarian Country Team in Gaza said in a statement that Israel’s plan “contravenes fundamental humanitarian principles and appears designed to reinforce control over life-sustaining items as a pressure tactic – as part of a military strategy.”

According to Oman News Agency, the proposed delivery mechanism would require UN approval to distribute supplies through Israeli checkpoints, under conditions set by the Israeli military. The UN team expressed concerns that the plan is dangerous, as it would drive civilians into militarized zones to collect rations, thereby threatening lives, including those of humanitarian workers, and further entrenching forced displacement.

The UN has made clear that it “will not participate in any scheme that does not adhere to the global humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, independence and neutrality.” Meanwhile, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) warned that its medical services in Gaza face a severe shortage of resources due to Israel’s blockade and ongoing genocide.

UNRWA reported that nearly a third of essential supplies for civilians in the Gaza Strip are out of stock, with projections indicating that another third will run out in under two months.