The closure of border crossings into Gaza, including the Rafah crossing with Egypt, is exacerbating the humanitarian crisis and disrupting medical evacuations, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

OCHA warned that the restrictions on movement and supplies threaten to halt aid deliveries entirely, further endangering the population already suffering from dire conditions.

The suspension of staff rotations for UN personnel in Gaza has led to the postponement of medical evacuations and the return of residents, despite efforts to maintain the flow of assistance, OCHA said in a statement.

Fuel reserves are dwindling, forcing rationing that impacts the operation of bakeries, hospitals, and water desalination plants. Waste collection services have also been suspended in some areas, the statement added.

Some areas of Gaza receive only two liters of drinking water per person per day, coinciding with rising prices for basic goods, OCHA reported.

In the West Bank, the closure of most checkpoints has hindered the movement of Palestinians, affecting their livelihoods and access to essential services, as well as disrupting humanitarian operations, OCHA said.

OCHA called for the protection of civilians and the unimpeded entry and movement of humanitarian aid, in accordance with international humanitarian law.

The Israeli government agency responsible for coordinating activities in the Palestinian territories announced the closure of several crossings, including Rafah, further isolating Gaza and increasing pressure on its residents amid already deteriorating living conditions.

The closure decision came amid the fallout from the American-Israeli conflict with Iran and the Iranian response, widening the impact of regional escalation on the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territories.

Earlier, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territories announced that the Kerem Shalom crossing would be gradually opened to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called on Israel to reopen border crossings with Gaza to allow humanitarian aid into the devastated territory.

Guterres' spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, stressed the need to reopen all crossings as soon as possible, adding that partners have been forced to ration fuel and prioritize life-saving operations with limited capacity due to dwindling supplies.

Dujarric noted that some supplies are already in Gaza, but efforts are being made to conserve them as much as possible while the crossings remain closed.

The Rafah crossing, Gaza's only gateway to the outside world without passing through Israel, has been closed since last Saturday. It had been partially reopened for a limited number of wounded and individuals in February, following Israeli forces regaining control.

The Kerem Shalom crossing is the sole entry point for aid and goods into Gaza, and its closure exacerbates the already deteriorating humanitarian situation, where approximately 1.9 million displaced people out of a population of 2.4 million live in dilapidated tents lacking basic necessities after their homes were destroyed.