During his visit, Fletcher toured various locations in Gaza, including hospitals, shelters, and distribution centres for humanitarian aid.
In a series of media statements, he emphasized the urgent need for increased international support. “The people of Gaza are facing unprecedented levels of hardship. We must act now to alleviate their suffering and ensure that aid reaches those who need it most,” he stated. Fletcher also took to his X account, where he shared, “Every minute counts. Lives are at stake. The blockade must end, and humanitarian access must be prioritized. We cannot allow politics to dictate life-saving support.”
Fletcher's visit, following a fragile ceasefire, aims to unblock a massive, pre-positioned aid pipeline, which remains largely stalled while hunger grips over half a million Palestinians.
In a short convoy of white UN jeeps, relief coordinator Tom Fletcher and his team wound their way through the twisted rubble of shattered homes to inspect a wastewater treatment plant in Sheikh Radwan, north of Gaza City.
"I drove through here seven to eight months ago when most of these buildings were still standing, and to see the devastation, this is a vast part of the city, just a wasteland, and it's absolutely devastating to see," he told AFP.
The densely packed cities of the Gaza Strip, home to more than two million Palestinians, have been reduced to ruins by two years of Israeli bombardment.
Surveying the damaged pumping equipment and a grim lake of sewage at the Sheikh Radwan wastewater plant, Fletcher said the task ahead for the UN and aid agencies was a "massive, massive job".
The British diplomat said he had met residents returning to destroyed homes trying to dig latrines in the ruins.
"They're telling me most of all they want dignity," he said. "We've got to get the power back on so we can start to get the sanitation system back in place.
"We have a massive 60-day plan now to surge in food, get a million meals out there a day, start to rebuild the health sector, bring in tents for the winter, get hundreds of thousands of kids back into school."
On Friday, the UN called for all border crossings into Gaza to be opened immediately to deliver urgently needed aid, warning that reversing the ongoing famine under Israel's blockade will “take some time.”
The humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip has reached critical levels, with reports indicating that over 2 million residents face food insecurity and a lack of basic necessities amid the two-year-old Israeli genocidal war and blockade on the strip.
The Israeli war on Gaza has resulted in massive destruction of infrastructure and displacement of families, further complicating the already dire conditions. Access to clean water, healthcare, and food supplies is severely limited, with many families relying on emergency aid for survival.
International organizations estimate that approximately $1.6 billion in humanitarian assistance is needed to address the immediate needs of the population in Gaza. This figure includes support for food, medical supplies, and water purification systems, among other essentials. The ongoing blockade and violence have severely restricted the flow of aid into the region, leading to widespread suffering.
In the past week, only a limited number of trucks carrying humanitarian aid and commercial supplies have crossed into Gaza from Egypt amid the continuation of an Israeli deadly blockade on the strip.
Reports indicate that around 60 trucks were allowed entry, a stark contrast to the hundreds required daily to meet the population's needs. Israel has imposed restrictions, blocking additional trucks and further exacerbating the crisis.
The lack of consistent aid has left many families on the brink of starvation, prompting urgent calls for international intervention to facilitate the flow of essential supplies.
Palestinians gather to receive food portions from a charity kitchen in the Nuseirat refugee camp, located in the central Gaza Strip. AFP
The cost of reconstructing Gaza is estimated to be in the tens of billions of dollars, with experts suggesting that it could take years to rebuild the damaged infrastructure fully. Following the recent conflict, significant investment is needed to restore homes, schools, hospitals, and public services. The scale of destruction has led to a call for a major reconstruction conference scheduled to take place in Egypt, where international donors will gather to discuss funding and logistical support for rebuilding efforts.
The financing of Gaza's reconstruction is expected to come from a combination of international aid, grants, and loans. The United Nations has called for contributions from member states, private organizations, and humanitarian agencies.
As the humanitarian crisis deepens, the international community faces mounting pressure to respond effectively to the needs of the Gazan population. The visit by UN Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher underscores the urgent need for a collective response to alleviate suffering and pave the way for a sustainable future in Gaza.
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