Israeli authorities have denied 48 of 52 attempts by the United Nations to coordinate humanitarian access to northern Gaza, which is under a “near-total siege”, since December 1, while the four that received approval still faced impediments, Al Jazeera quotes the UN as saying.

In its latest Gaza situation report, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) also reported that patients with treatable illnesses were dying in the enclave because of “depleted medical supplies and lack of life-saving equipment”.

OCHA’s latest report said the attacks “near or on” the al-Awda and Kamal Adwan hospitals in northern Gaza continued, and both facilities required urgent supplies of food and water.