UN official warns of collapse of fishing and agriculture sectors in Gaza

UN official warns of collapse of fishing and agriculture sectors in Gaza

NEW YORK, — Philippe Lazzarini, the acting head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in the occupied Palestinian lands, has warned of negative humanitarian effects of the Israeli siege on Gaza Strip that has been in force for almost four years.

He told the UN radio on Tuesday that the agriculture and fishing sectors in Gaza were about to collapse, adding that a large sector of the population in Gaza was dependent on humanitarian assistance.

The UN official called on behalf of a number of humanitarian agencies and more than 80 civil societies for lifting the siege on Gaza and allowing import of necessary material to resume agricultural activity.