Jonathan Wital, head of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the occupied Palestinian territories, announced that Israel did not renew his visa, preventing him from returning to Gaza amid the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the enclave. This came after a press conference he held in Gaza, where he spoke about the shooting of civilians trying to access food, describing the Israeli measures as retaliatory against humanitarian workers.

Wital pointed out that Israel has been practicing a policy of collective punishment since the beginning of the war, emphasizing that Gaza is facing a real famine, with about 2.1 million people forced to crowd into an area that does not exceed 12% of the enclave. He noted that the daily scene is characterized by a systematic dismantling of Palestinian means of life, with civilians being killed while trying to obtain food, describing this as a daily assault on life and dignity.

The UN official stated that Israel uses humanitarian aid as a tool of war, turning means of survival into a weapon, noting that the enclave needs at least 600 aid trucks daily to meet humanitarian needs. He described the horrific scenes from inside hospitals, where he and his colleagues work to transfer patients to dark rooms without electricity, water, or food, as some of the most horrific images he has seen, with mass graves in hospital courtyards.

Wital spoke about the deliberate targeting of humanitarian workers, even in areas considered safe, where several have been killed by drone strikes and tank fire while trying to deliver aid. He pointed out that relief convoys face field and administrative obstacles, with a soldier shooting a Palestinian from behind while he attempts to reach an aid truck, a scene that repeats at food distribution points.

He explained that about 89% of Gaza's area is subject to evacuation orders or falls within military zones, making it difficult to carry out relief operations effectively. He called on the international community to stop the war and enforce international law, warning that Gaza is sinking under bombardment, famine, and siege, and that any delay in applying humanitarian rules increases the suffering of the population.

Wital concluded his remarks by affirming that he can no longer remain silent in the face of these policies, and that raising his voice against the suffering of the Palestinian people is part of his role in promoting respect for international law, especially in light of the ongoing policies that ignore civilian suffering and deepen their humanitarian crisis.