Russian President Vladimir Putin was quoted by Sputnik news agency on Saturday as saying that the Gaza Strip is experiencing a humanitarian catastrophe, noting that Russia has provided approximately 800 tons of aid to the Palestinians.
The Russian president said that the situation in the Middle East is worsening, noting that Moscow supports the two-state solution.
Putin continued, "We are monitoring the tragic events in the Palestinian territories and are trying to provide ongoing assistance."
Several aid groups told Reuters on Tuesday that dozens of local charity kitchens are at risk of closing, possibly within days, unless aid is allowed into Gaza. Failure to do so would end the last sustainable source of meals for most of the 2.3 million population.
Since March 2, Israel has completely blocked all supplies to the 2.3 million residents of the Gaza Strip, and nearly all food stockpiled during the ceasefire at the beginning of the year has run out. This is the longest closure of its kind the Gaza Strip has ever faced.
The Government Media Office in Gaza explained on Monday that "the stifling blockade and the ongoing closure of crossings have led to a catastrophic deterioration in health conditions and the spread of severe malnutrition, particularly among children and infants. The number of cases arriving at the remaining hospitals and medical centers due to severe malnutrition has exceeded 65,000, out of a total of 1.1 million children in the Gaza Strip who suffer from daily hunger."
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Putin: Gaza Strip is experiencing a humanitarian catastrophe