UN humanitarian chief: Gaza conditions "grim and miserable and are not in accordance with the standards of human dignity"

From the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs:

John Holmes, the UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, has said he is shocked by the "grim and miserable" situation in the Gaza Strip, and he called for the opening of crossing points into the enclave and for Palestinian militants to stop rocket fire into Israel.

Wrapping up a five-day trip on 18 February, he said he had come to visit Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) to see the situation on the ground and do what he could to increase movement into and out of Gaza.

"The conditions in Gaza are grim and miserable and are not in accordance with the standards of human dignity," Holmes told reporters in Jerusalem. He expressed concern about the quality of nutrition, especially amongst children, noting that 73 percent of the population received food aid, and levels of dependency were rising.

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