ISTANBUL 

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) reiterated on Friday the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza, saying sufficient aid has never been available throughout the 13 months of Israel's offensive.

"People are hungry. We are surrounded every day by people who beg for pieces of bread, who need access to water,” UNRWA spokesperson Louise Wateridge told CNN.

“It is just unbearable, the situation the population has been forced into. And a lot of this can be resolved with a facilitation of a humanitarian response. And we have not just seen that for 13 months," she added.

Wateridge said “there is simply not a humanitarian in Gaza right now that believes there is enough aid for the 2.2 million population ... not just for the last days and weeks, but for the 13-month duration of this brutal war.”

International and UN agencies have warned that northern Gaza is on the brink of famine due to the ongoing military assault, which began last month. The siege has blocked the entry of essential supplies, including food, water, and medicine.

The crisis has also begun to spread to central and southern Gaza in recent weeks, with flour and other essential goods missing from markets.

Israel has killed more than 43,000 people in Gaza since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks, and faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi