UN sounds alarm: Record-breaking Israeli checkpoints push Gaza to brink of humanitarian disaster
Illustrative: IDF soldiers at a checkpoint in the West Bank. (Wisam Hashlamoun/Flash90)
The United Nations has reported a record-high number of nearly 850 Israeli checkpoints, gates, and other physical barriers across the occupied Palestinian territory—the most documented in the past two decades, according to Anadolu Agency.
“Israeli closure of all crossings for incoming cargo has entered its 20th day, the longest shutdown since the 7th of October, 2023,” UN spokesperson Farhan Haq stated during a press conference on Friday.
Haq warned that the prolonged closure of crossings is having a “devastating impact on people already facing catastrophic conditions,” undoing the humanitarian progress made during the initial six weeks of the ceasefire. Citing the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), he stressed that humanitarian efforts are being severely hampered by ongoing hostilities.
“Civilians, including aid workers and civilian assets, have come under attack. The UN is seeking concrete assurances for the safety of our staff and operations in Gaza, following the killing of six UN personnel and injury of several others this week, including in the attack on a clearly designated UN compound,” he stated.
Over 120,000 Palestinians have been displaced in the past week alone due to intensified attacks and new Israeli evacuation orders, amounting to “about 6% of the surviving population,” Haq noted.
The latest OCHA survey documented the highest number of movement obstacles in two decades, with three dozen new barriers erected in the past three months, most after the mid-January ceasefire announcement.
Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes since Tuesday have killed over 700 Palestinians and injured more than 900, shattering the ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement in place since January.
The overall toll since October 2023 has exceeded 50,000 Palestinian deaths—mostly women and children—and over 112,000 injuries.
In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice over its actions in Gaza.
