AKP Phnom Penh, 09 June, 2026--
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on Israel to reopen humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip after the closure of key aid crossings, a UN spokesman said Monday.

Following waves of Iranian missile attacks on Israel late Sunday, the Israeli authorities closed several crossings, including the Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem crossing and the Rafah crossing, on Monday.

The secretary-general is "deeply concerned" by the decision to close the crossings and suspend the entry of supplies into Gaza, said Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for Guterres.

"He (Guterres) calls for the immediate resumption of humanitarian movements at scale into and throughout Gaza and urges all parties to facilitate the rapid, safe, and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance in accordance with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law," said Haq.

Guterres underscored that humanitarian assistance is "indispensable" for the survival and well-being of civilians in Gaza, noted Haq, adding that "humanitarian needs remain immense and access must remain predictable, sustained, and unimpeded."

The spokesman said it was not known when Israel intended to reopen the crossings.

The Kerem Shalom crossing was the only crossing into Gaza that had been operational for cargo over the past two weeks, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said, adding that while no aid was allowed to enter Gaza, humanitarian organizations were permitted to collect cargo on the Palestinian side of the crossing.

"OCHA stresses that people in the Gaza Strip rely on a steady flow of humanitarian and commercial goods from outside," the office said. "The UN and its humanitarian partners work hard to maintain a sustained and predictable flow of supplies despite restrictions. Such efforts cannot be sustained if crossings remain closed."

OCHA also noted that Israeli airstrikes, shelling and gunfire continue to affect civilians and civilian infrastructure across the strip, resulting in reported casualties and damage. It reiterated that civilians and civilian infrastructure are protected under international humanitarian law.

In the West Bank, the office warned of risks posed by debris from missile interceptions, as seen during previous regional escalations.

"Violence affecting Palestinians across the West Bank persists," OCHA said, citing a shooting incident last Friday when Israeli forces killed a 7-month-old Palestinian infant in Hebron city and injured both parents.

The office said that raids, search-and-arrest operations and other operations by Israeli forces have become a regular occurrence, with more than 20 raids or other operations on average each day across the West Bank during the first five months of 2026, resulting in casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure.

"Palestinians in the West Bank must be protected, as required by law, and perpetrators of violations must be held accountable," OCHA said.

AKP-Xinhua