UN 'not pulling out of Gaza,' says spokesman

WASHINGTON

A UN spokesman said Wednesday, “we're not pulling out of Gaza,” rejecting claims to the contrary.

'We're just trying to find the space in which we operate within conditions that meet our very basic and pretty simple standards'' Stephane Dujarric told reporters.

Stressing that the UN is not operating under the protection of the Israeli army, Dujarric said: "We're kind of meandering in different paths, but the road to success here is a cease-fire, is our ability to have a full and unimpeded humanitarian access, to see the immediate release of all the hostages."

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said insecurity and active hostilities in southern Gaza are still a "major impediment" to humanitarian operations, he added.

"One of the major and ongoing constraints is picking up supplies from the Kerem Shalom crossing remains a major obstacle. To do that, humanitarian organizations are exposed to criminal activity along the single road they have been forced to use, amid Israeli military operations nearby. The Israeli authorities continue to restrict the use of alternative roads," he said.

Regarding aid distribution from the US-built floating pier in Gaza, Dujarric said the UN is still reviewing the security situation and has not distributed aid from there because necessary conditions are not met.

"Whether other non-UN organizations are taking it, that's a question for others to answer. But we are, as the UN, are not picking, (we) do not have the environment that we need to pick up that aid yet," he added.