UN and Red Cross urge opening of all crossings into Gaza

October 14, 2025 / 7:55 PM

Sharjah 24 – AFP: The United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have called for the urgent opening of all border crossings into Gaza to allow the entry of vital aid into the devastated enclave. The appeal follows the truce reached as part of a plan backed by US President Donald Trump.

Aid workers demand full access

"This is what humanitarian workers, including the ICRC, have been calling for in recent hours: to ensure that all entry points can be opened, given the enormous needs," said Red Cross spokesman Christian Cardon during a press briefing in Geneva.

UN smphasises need for all crossings to operate

Jens Laerke, spokesman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), echoed the urgency: "We need them all to be opened." He noted that some crossings are currently "partially destroyed" and stressed the need to clear rubble from Gaza’s streets to allow aid trucks to move freely.

Infrastructure repairs needed

"We call for them to be repaired so they can be operated," Laerke added, underlining the importance of restoring functionality to damaged entry points as quickly as possible.

Famine declared amid escalating crisis

On August 22, the United Nations officially declared a famine in Gaza after warnings from experts that over 500,000 people were facing a "catastrophic" threat to their lives due to food shortages and lack of access to aid.

Conflicting narratives over aid distribution

While the UN continues to push for expanded humanitarian access, Israel has accused Hamas of fabricating the crisis and misappropriating aid intended for civilians.

190,000 tonnes of aid awaiting entry

Laerke confirmed that the United Nations currently has 190,000 tonnes of ready-to-deliver aid stockpiled and awaiting access to Gaza, pending the opening and repair of all necessary crossings.