Talk to Al Jazeera

UN Humanitarian Chief: ‘Gaza is special, not in a good way’

Martin Griffiths on Gaza’s dire conditions for aid operations and the voices that should be heard on Palestine’s future.

Nine weeks into Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip, the United Nations faces increasing challenges in delivering aid to the besieged and bombarded enclave.

Israel’s offensive has displaced 85 percent of the population. About 1.3 million people are crammed into UN facilities there, exceeding their capacity four times over. These facilities have also been frequent targets of Israeli attacks.

Additionally, the killings of humanitarian aid workers in air strikes further complicate the crisis.

This situation raises concerns about the UN’s ability to operate in Gaza effectively.

Martin Griffiths, the UN undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, provides insights on these issues as he talks to Al Jazeera.