Gaza – Distribution of one million meals daily, and a UN call to increase the evacuation of patients and facilitate the arrival of essential medicines

Speaking to reporters in Geneva today, Friday, Dr. Rick Pepperkorn, representative of the World Health Organization in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, said that the Kerem Shalom and Kissufim crossings are open and allow more supplies to flow into Gaza, while the Rafah crossing remains closed to the movement of individuals and goods, and the Zikim and Erez crossings also remain closed, which limits direct access to the north and makes it difficult for us to provide support. Vital health facilities on the required scale.

He explained that many major facilities located outside the so-called “ceasefire line” are inaccessible, including the Kamal Adwan, Al-Awda, Indonesian, and Gaza European hospitals, and are not working.

Dr Peppercorn said about 15,000 people – including about 4,000 children – needed medical evacuation. “So, our main demands are very clear in this file. First, all medical corridors must be opened. Most importantly, the referral route and referral hospitals in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, must be reopened.”

He described this road as vital and the most cost-effective, and “if this road is opened, it will change the rules of the game.”

The UN health official continued: “The other main requirement is that we need more countries to come forward and receive patients. We have two medical evacuation plans, over the next week, but we want to be able to conduct medical evacuations daily.”

He explained that the organization has prepared a unified list of essential medicines, medical supplies and consumables, “which are absolute priority materials and are used in every hospital around the world, and we want to obtain some kind of comprehensive approval for that list.”

One million meals a day

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that partners in the food security sector are currently distributing more than one million hot meals daily across Gaza. In the north, partners have begun distributing general food rations, and six UN-supported bakeries have resumed bread production.

Since the start of the ceasefire, the Nutrition Cluster has opened more than 20 new feeding sites in Gaza, bringing the number of sites operating across the Strip to 150.

In the past two days, WASH cluster partners distributed nearly 600,000 diapers, 11,000 gallons, 5,800 household hygiene kits, 3,000 pails, and 280 PWD kits to displaced communities.

The International Organization for Migration sends shelter aid to Gaza

On the other hand, the International Organization for Migration has sent more than 47,000 relief items to Gaza since the announcement of the ceasefire, to support displaced families. Of these items, 31,000 are shelter items, including 2,500 tents, to help people regain a sense of safety and dignity amid the widespread devastation.

Amy Pope, Director-General of the International Organization for Migration, said: “People in Gaza have endured unimaginable losses. They need help to reach them quickly and safely, through every possible route and entry point. Shelter is not a luxury; it allows families to rest, stay warm, and begin to rebuild their lives. Without it, recovery cannot begin. Every person deserves to live in safety and dignity, and humanitarian aid, including food, water, medicine and shelter, must be allowed to reach To everyone, everywhere.”

The International Organization for Migration warned, in a statement today, Friday, that shelter needs are very urgent, as it is estimated that 90 percent of the population is displaced. According to the shelter cluster, at least 1.5 million people are in urgent need of emergency shelter assistance, while available supplies are almost exhausted.

The organization stated that hundreds of thousands of people are cautiously making their way back to their homes, only to find their homes turned into rubble and their basic infrastructure destroyed. With very few tents or tarpaulins available, some use empty flour and rice bags to protect themselves from the weather.

Materials ready for distribution

The International Organization for Migration explained that it has prepared millions of life-saving relief items for rapid deployment, including more than 28,000 additional tents in Jordan sufficient for up to 168,000 people, along with blankets, mattresses and hygiene supplies.

Despite the ceasefire, the organization notes that systemic restrictions, including delays in customs clearance, limited border crossings, and persistent insecurity, continue to hamper the delivery of aid.

The organization said that it stands ready to respond as quickly and as widely as possible, provided that full, safe and unrestricted humanitarian access is granted by the relevant Israeli authorities, in line with humanitarian principles.