"Gaza is not a place for humans to live" One year after the ceasefire took effect, no progress has been made in reconstruction - Interview with UNRWA Director Kiyota

[Cairo Current Affairs] In the Palestinian autonomous region of Gaza, which was devastated by a large-scale military operation by the Israeli army that began in October 2023, resulting in the deaths of more than 74,000 people, reconstruction has not progressed even one year after the ceasefire went into effect on October 10 last year. This is because even after the agreement was reached, Israeli forces occupied many areas and continued attacks. In an online interview with Jiji Press, Akihiro Kiyota, Director-General of Health at the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), expressed a strong sense of crisis, saying, ``Gaza is becoming increasingly no longer a place where people can live.''

The Israeli military is now said to be in control of approximately 70% of Gaza, beyond the limits stipulated in the agreement. Approximately 2 million residents have been confined to the remaining 30% of the area, with many living in tents. Due to restrictions on the importation of supplies, shortages of medicines and other supplies continue, and even after the ceasefire, poor sanitary conditions persist, with skin diseases and other infectious diseases continuing to spread. Kiyota says, ``The living environment of the residents is collapsing.''

Although a certain amount of food has been distributed since the agreement was reached, ``poor residents are not being able to reach it, and malnutrition has not disappeared.'' In August last year, before the cease-fire, hunger became serious in areas of Gaza City, the capital of Gaza, and when UNRWA followed up on malnourished infants at that time, it was confirmed that there were cases of delays in speech and walking. ``Even though hostilities have decreased, the plight of children continues.''

Another major cause for concern is that the international community's attention has suddenly shifted away from Gaza following the US-Israel attacks on Iran that began at the end of February. Mr. Kiyota says that the people of Gaza "feel like no one will help them."