Israel Refuses to Open Humanitarian Corridors
Fars News Agency – UNRWA Director Matthias Schmale said Israel has not allowed humanitarian corridors during the hostilities.
“In 2014, we had humanitarian corridors where we could move between installations and bring material,” he told Al-Jazeera. “They are also striking very close to our installation, so the understanding we had in the past such as keeping some distance in our installation is not being respected sufficiently,” he added.
Asked about reports suggesting that Israel warned the UN agency that it planned to bomb two UN-run schools, Schmale stated he had not received any direct warnings so far.
“We have more than 41,000 people in 50 schools, so it would be of great concern if any of these installations were directly hit,” he added.
Reporting in front of the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, journalist Youmna Al-Sayed stated, “It’s an other tense day in the Gaza strip“, a few minutes after an Israeli missile hit a car a few metres away from her killing three people.
“Hospitals are running out of resources, corridors and all departments, including the administration, are filled with beds and mattresses,” she said. “Electricity comes from one to three hours at best, which is a crisis for hospitals as well while generators are running out of fuel,” Al-Sayed noted, adding that the power crisis triggered a water shortage as well.
The Israeli military launched another series of air raids on the Gaza Strip early on Monday. Explosions rocked Gaza City from North to South in a bombardment that was heavier, wider and lasted longer than the air raids that killed tens of Palestinians and wounded dozens more on Sunday.
At least 198 people, including 58 children, have been killed in the Gaza Strip since the latest violence began a week ago. More than 1,300 Palestinians were also wounded.