and the humanitarian toll on its# population has been devastating.

According to the United Nations, 90# percent of Gazans are displaced.

More## than one in four are starving.

There's not a# single hospital there that's fully functional,## and communications are severely limited.

Earlier today, Ali Rogin was able to speak# with a represe Agency through a shaky Internet connection for# an update about what's happening on the ground.

ALI ROGIN: Scott Anderson with the# U.N.

Relief Works Agency in Gaza,## thank you so much for joining us.

The World Food Program recentl you just give us a sense of just how dire# the food scarcity situation is right now?

SCOTT ANDERSON, Deputy Director of Operations,# United Nations Relief and Works Agency Gaza:## there are approximately 1.4 million# internally displaced people here.

The only food that most people have# is what comes in through the crossing,## either Kerem Shalom or Rafah, and it's# simply not enough to accommodate the## basic needs of this many people.

And I have# seen a convoy where people are chasing the## convoy down the street because they're just# desperate to get any food that they can.

We did have a convoy that managed to go north a# few days ago with trucks of flour, and as they## were carrying their flour away, you could see how# happy they were.

But the situation really is quite## desperate, children begging for food because# they don't have any.

It's just a very difficult## situation for them, and I can't imagine how their# parents feel not being able to provide for them.

So I think that, overall,## we need to do more as a humanitarian ALI ROGIN: And what responsibility specifically# do the various stakeholders in this conflict including Israel, Hamas,# and other regional players?

SCOTT ANDERSON: First, we would ask that# all the parties to the confl the sanctity of the United Nations# and that they do everything they## can to protect the civilian -- innocent# civilian populatio And we have had great difficulty accessing# Northern Gaza north of the Wadi.

There's a## checkpoint that we're required to traverse# to take aid to the north, where we think## there are 300,000 people.

Since January 1, only# eight of the 24 missions we been approved to go north.

They're very hungry.# They're very cold.

They're very much in need,## and we would very much like to get our convoys# to the north to help deliver aid to those people.

ALI ROGIN: The United Nations has# called Gaza a graveyard for children.## Can you talk about the situation# specifically for children right now?

SCOTT ANDERSON: And children, obviously,# they bear the brunt of this.

They're much## younger and they're less resilient.# Their bodies are just smaller.

I mean, in addition to the lack of food,# the trauma that everybody has on e in every 100 Gazans has been killed# at this point during the conflict.

They## need psychosocial support and they need some# normalcy.

And I feel that we're in danger of## losing a generation educationally, between# COVID and the negative impact that had,## and now we're losing a whole school# year most likely during this conflict.

The impact is quite negative# to children everywhere in Gaza.

ALI ROGIN: As the Israeli military operation# continues, what do operations as more and more people are# crowding into a smaller and smaller area?

SCOTT ANDERSON: Oh, there's not sufficient# water for hygiene and certainly for people## to clean themselves, nor is there# sufficient water for everyone to drink.

People are living in quite close proximity, so# we're worried about waterborne disease and any## kind of disease that would spread quickly.

Women# have borne the brunt of hygiene here.

There's not## enough feminine hygiene kits.

Women don't eat or# drink, they have told me on visits to shelters,## because they don't want to have to# wait in line to go to the bathroom.

We're certainly not able to import at# scale that women have, and it's something# we're working very hard to correct.

ALI ROGIN: You have lost colleagues in this;# 146 UNRWA workers have bee conflict began.

Can you just describe the toll# that this war is having on your colleagues,## humanitarian workers, and the work that you do?

SCOTT ANDERSON: We say that# nowhere is safe in Gaza,## which I think is very true.

Even the house where# I live You can't talk to any of our staff or any# of their families that haven't been impacted## by the loss of a loved one or the severe# injury of a loved one.

Despite the they get up every day, they come into work,# and they're trying to help their fellow Gazans.

Now, we have one staff member that works on# our cross-border operation, both his brothers## lost everyone in their family, except one son.# And despite that horrific event, he was there## at the crossing the next day trying to make sure# aid was flowing in to help take care of people.

So I think that the resilience and# the bravery and courage they show is## incredible.

But it also has to be very# heavy on their heart that they don't## know sometimes when they leave if their# family will be there when they go home.

ALI ROGIN: Israel has long been# critical of UNRWA.

It accuses## UNRWA of having an anti-Israel stance# and of not being How do you respond to those criticisms?

SCOTT ANDERSON: I think we do a lot# of work to maint which is one of the core humanitarian principles.

And I certainly am not anti-Israel in any# way, shape to do it with -- as I said, with neutrality,# which is one of our core principles.

Sometimes,## that means we say things that people don't# like to hear.

What we are is pro-humanity,## and we want to do everything we# can to keep as many people as## safe as possible and make sure we're# meeting their ba ALI ROGIN: Scott Anderson, the deputy director of# UNRWA in Gaza, tha SCOTT ANDERSON: My pleasure.

Thank you, Ali.