The heads of six UN agencies called on Monday for an urgent renewal of the ceasefire in Gaza, warning of severe aid shortages and the mounting civilian death toll since Israel resumed its war against Hamas on March 18.
No new humanitarian supplies have entered the Palestinian enclave since Israel blocked the entry of aid trucks on March 2, as talks for the next stage of a now-broken truce and a deal for the release of the remaining hostages held by Hamas stalled.
"More than 2.1 million people are trapped, bombed and starved again, while, at crossing points, food, medicine, fuel and shelter supplies are piling up, and vital equipment is stuck," said a statement co-signed by the heads of six UN agencies including the UN's aid coordination agency (OCHA) and the World Food Programme.