Gaza curbs 'hamper aid effort'

By Imogen Foulkes
BBC correspondent in Geneva

Thousands of Palestinian families are dependent on food aid

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency says Israeli restrictions are severely affecting its ability to provide food and aid to the Gaza Strip.

An UNRWA spokesman in Geneva said new security measures were slowing down the agency's work at an alarming rate.

Matthias Burkhart also said staff and supplies were having to cross checkpoints on foot, which is prohibited under UN security rules.

UNRWA is calling on Israel to respect the freedom of movement of its staff.

The agency supplies food to almost one million people in the occupied territories - 700,000 of them in the Gaza Strip. It also runs schools and hospitals.

Food containers

Mr Burkhart said UNRWA was most worried that containers carrying food supplies were being blocked.

"We usually have to bring in 25 containers per day, but due to security restrictions we are only able to bring in about 10-12," he said.

"And we have a backlog of containers leaving, which again has many implications financially."

The agency also expressed its deep sorrow over the death of a 10-year-old Palestinian girl, who died after being hit by a bullet from Israeli defence forces while at her desk in an UNRWA school.

The agency said it was a tragic and senseless death, and it reminded all parties to the conflict that schools were specifically protected under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.