UN chief alarmed by Israeli plans to expand Gaza ground offensive 

New York (Web Desk): United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed serious alarm over reports indicating that Israel intends to expand its ground operations and prolong its military presence in Gaza.

This concern was conveyed on Monday by Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq during a regular press briefing in New York, where he warned that such actions would inevitably result in the deaths of more civilians and further devastate Gaza.

Haq emphasized that what is urgently needed is an end to the violence, not additional loss of civilian life or destruction, and reaffirmed that Gaza must remain an essential part of any future Palestinian state.

This warning follows strong condemnation from the UN humanitarian team and other non-governmental organizations operating in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

On Sunday, these groups criticized Israeli proposals to restructure the aid distribution mechanism by channeling supplies through military-controlled hubs in southern Gaza.

Aid officials argue that such a shift would severely restrict access for the most vulnerable populations in less mobile areas of Gaza, leaving them without critical life-saving assistance.

The Secretary-General continues to push for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, alongside the unconditional release of all hostages still held in Gaza.

Meanwhile, hostilities persist, with airstrikes and ground operations ongoing across the Strip. For over two months, Israel has maintained a blockade on both humanitarian aid and commercial goods, exacerbating the dire humanitarian situation.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that dozens of people were killed and hundreds more injured over the past weekend, including many children.

The deteriorating security and economic conditions have led to widespread looting and theft in Gaza, particularly around Gaza City.

OCHA noted that these incidents are increasing amid the depletion of available resources. Businesses have become frequent targets, and there have been attempted raids on UN warehouses as well. In most cases, looters were stopped by security personnel or found the warehouses already emptied.

Last week, OCHA highlighted the collapse of water and sanitation infrastructure in Beit Lahiya due to a complete fuel shortage. These services remain inoperable due to continued fuel scarcity.

Compounding the crisis, a major Israeli water pipeline supplying northern Gaza—including Gaza City—was damaged on Friday, cutting water access by half. Although the line was repaired by Sunday, the work required coordination with Israeli authorities, further delaying restoration.

On the same day, a UN team managed to recover a limited amount of fuel from a station in Gaza City after receiving access permission from Israeli officials.

However, many other fuel reserves remain inaccessible due to denial of access. Notably, no fuel retrieval efforts in Rafah, southern Gaza, have been allowed since April 18.

In addition, OCHA reported that 19 out of 27 humanitarian missions planned within Gaza since Saturday were completely denied.

Some operations were initially approved but were later obstructed by military forces on the ground, highlighting the continued difficulty of delivering essential aid in the midst of ongoing conflict.