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A desperate call at a critical moment
On 15 October 2025, Tom Fletcher — the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator — called on State of Israel to immediately open all border crossings into the Gaza Strip to allow for a “massive surge” of humanitarian relief.
Speaking from Cairo, Fletcher emphasised that the population of Gaza is already enduring “months of blockade, displacement and hunger,” and warned that unless multiple crossings are opened, thousands more lives could be lost.
The scale of the crisis
• The northern part of Gaza has been declared by monitoring agencies to be in a state of famine.
• According to the World Food Programme, approximately 560 tonnes of food are entering Gaza daily under current conditions — far below what is needed to reach the most vulnerable.
• Aid and relief agencies have pre-positioned large quantities of supplies (food, water, shelter, fuel) at border points, but the movement of these goods into Gaza is severely restricted by closed crossings, damaged roads, and military operations.
Why the crossings matter
Fletcher and other UN officials argue that having only one or two open crossings — and most of them in the south of Gaza — severely limits the ability to deliver aid to the northern and hardest-hit areas.
In his statement, Fletcher highlighted key demands:
• Open at least additional crossings (one in the north, one in the south) to ensure broad access.
• Simplify and expedite procedures for aid entry and distribution (for example, removing quotas, cutting bureaucratic delays).
• Ensure that once aid enters Gaza the internal transport, distribution, and security pathways remain open, safe, and unobstructed.
Fletcher also made the legal and moral point that withholding humanitarian aid cannot be treated as a bargaining chip. He emphasised that Israel, as the occupying power under international humanitarian law in this case, has a duty to facilitate assistance to civilians.
Obstacles and context
The broader context is one of immense destruction and displacement: much of Gaza’s infrastructure (roads, bakeries, clinics) has been damaged; many civilians are displaced; and humanitarian access has been erratic.
Moreover:
• Some crossings (e.g., for Gaza’s north) remain closed, limiting reach to areas that are in the worst humanitarian state.
• Even where crossings are open, the scale of trucks and supplies entering is a fraction of what is required for a large-scale humanitarian operation.
• Security concerns, bureaucratic delays, and the need to ensure aid is delivered neutrally are among the challenges.
Significance and implications
Fletcher’s call underscores a pivotal moment: as the cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas enters its first phases, the humanitarian window is open — but time is short. Accelerating aid could prevent the collapse of basic services and stop famine from spreading further.
If crossings remain closed or largely restricted, the humanitarian situation risks becoming catastrophic. Aid agencies could face mounting numbers of children and civilians without sufficient food, water, shelter or medical care.
On the political front, Israel’s willingness to open additional crossings may be tied to broader negotiations (hostage returns, cease-fire implementation, military operations). However, the UN and aid groups argue humanitarian access should not be contingent on such factors; civilians must not be held hostage to political or military bargaining.
What to watch next
• Will Israel agree to open multiple crossings, including in Gaza’s north, and lift quotas on aid trucks?
• How quickly will aid supplies already staged at borders and in neighbouring countries move into Gaza?
• Will the internal distribution within Gaza improve (roads cleared, transport routes open, warehouses functional)?
• Is the humanitarian scale-up sustainable for weeks and months to come, especially given winter and infrastructure damage ahead?
• How are humanitarian agencies monitoring and ensuring that aid truly reaches vulnerable civilians (and not diverted)
Conclusion
The appeal by Tom Fletcher is urgent and unequivocal: opening more crossings into Gaza is not just a logistical step — it is a humanitarian imperative. With famine declared in parts of Gaza and millions at risk, the difference between incremental access and large-scale relief could mean hundreds of thousands of lives. The coming days and weeks will test whether the cease-fire momentum can translate into meaningful humanitarian relief — or whether access bottlenecks will continue to thwart aid efforts.
Attached is a news article regarding UN humanitarian chief urges Isreal to open more crossings into Gaza
https://www.indcatholicnews.com/news/53501
Article written and configured by Christopher Stanley
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