UN warns of worsening humanitarian crisis in West Bank and Gaza

The United Nations says the plight of Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank is growing ever more dire, while the World Food Programme (WFP) is running out of funds.

Shaun Hughes, the WFP's country director for Palestine said on Tuesday that from September, the WFP will only be able to provide aid to half as many people as are in need.

The number of people dependent on the WFP's help in the region has doubled over the past two years, he said.

Ongoing violence by settlers, numerous Israeli military operations, restrictions on freedom of movement, the destruction of homes and the displacement of people have all contributed to the situation, he said.

Many Palestinians who were previously able to support themselves are now dependent on food aid, he said.

Hughes described the situation in the Gaza Strip as "brutal and volatile," and said a WFP warehouse had been damaged during Israeli airstrikes.

He added that the Israeli military presence makes it too dangerous for people to approach the fields they once cultivated. Bakeries need diesel and spare parts to operate their ovens, but Israel rarely allows these to enter.

Reinhilde van de Weerdt, the World Health Organization's representative for the occupied Palestinian territories, reported that sewage from toilets could be seen in the streets, and "meters high mounds of garbage continue to pose health risks."

The number of cases of diarrhoea had almost doubled between January and August.

"The rains that are around the corner will result in overcrowded sites being flooded. Sewage, waste, and contaminated water won't stay where they are, they'll spread into the very spaces where people sleep, cook, and care for their children," he said.