FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
The Gaza Strip could be on the brink of a new humanitarian crisis if supplies are not allowed in, authorities say, as Israel responds to Hamas attacks. On Monday, Israel declared a "total siege" on the territory, saying electricity, food, fuel and water would be cut off.
According to residents, aid has not reached the enclave since Saturday. Images released by the media show deserted streets covered in rubble from collapsed buildings after Israeli airstrikes.
The United Nations agency said late Monday that its emergency shelters in Gaza are at 90% capacity from Israeli attacks.
700 people have died in these attacks and thousands more are reported to have been injured.
The area is home to around 2.3 million residents, 80% of whom rely on humanitarian aid mainly due to ongoing hostilities with Israel.
The area is run by Hamas militants, but Israel controls its airspace and coastline. It also limits who and what goods can cross its borders.
Neighboring Egypt strictly controls what or who can cross its border with Gaza as well.
Since the attacks began on Saturday morning, Israel has stopped all supplies entering Gaza, including food and medicine.
Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, said dozens of health care workers had been killed or injured and at least seven medical centers had been damaged.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza has called for the opening of a "safe corridor to ensure the entry of emergency medical aid" into the territory's hospitals, which are now overwhelmed with the dead and wounded.
Meanwhile, many people are currently without electricity and internet, and may soon be without essential supplies of food and water.
"Damage to water, sanitation and hygiene facilities has disrupted services for more than 400,000 people," Dujarric said.
Gaza's power plant is now its only source of electricity and could run out of fuel within days.
He added that the World Food Program is already distributing food to up to 100,000 internally displaced Palestinians and that these efforts will increase eightfold in the coming days.
Even before the latest restrictions, Gazans already faced widespread food insecurity, movement restrictions and water shortages.
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