There is only one hospital left in Khan Yunis in the Gaza Strip as the humanitarian crisis deepens, Oxfam has said.
A UN Security Council vote on a resolution meant to suspend hostilities between Israel and Hamas to allow aid into Gaza was delayed yesterday and is expected to take place today.
The resolution is calling for "urgent suspension of hostilities to allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access" and for "urgent steps towards a sustainable cessation of hostilities".
There was previously a "humanitarian pause" in conflict between the Israeli military and Hamas to allow aid to enter Gaza and hostages held by Hamas to be released.
Oxfam Policy Leader in Jerusalem Bushra Khalid said after 74 days of “relentless bombing”, another pause in conflict is essential.
“The situation is not just worsening by the day,” she told Newstalk Breakfast. “It's really worsening by the hour.
“I have family in Gaza – I haven’t been able to be in touch since Thursday because of the lines being down.
“Imagine responding to needs of 2.2 million people when we don't have connection to contact people.”
Hospital 'on its knees'
Ms Khalid said military operations across the region are ongoing and the city of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza is “completely closed off” from outside aid.
“We know that the only hospital left in Khan Yunis is also about to collapse,” she said. “It’s on its knees of the operation happening around Khan Yunis in that area.”
She noted it was last recorded that the hospital was hosting over 1,500 patients.
'Inequitable' aid in Gaza
Ms Khalid also said the humanitarian crisis on the ground in the Gaza Strip is “just absolutely shocking”.
“There is no flour, there is no salt,” she said.
“There is very little aid and that is getting into Gaza is only arriving into the south - it's not really being delivered equitably across the Strip.
“There’s relentless bombing; how can we send humanitarian worker teams to basically almost risk their lives in delivering aid? It's impossible.”
Death toll in Gaza
Over 20,000 people in Gaza have died since conflict escalated between Hamas and the Israeli state on October 7th, according to Gaza Health Officials.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) have reported approximately 118 soldiers have been killed since the start of the conflict, while hundreds remain held hostage by Hamas.
There is mounting pressure for a ceasefire across countries, including calls for a “sustainable ceasefire” from UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron over the weekend.
The UK previously abstained from a UN Security Council vote calling for a ceasefire.
