The UN said Thursday that funding shortfalls are forcing humanitarian partners in the Gaza Strip to reduce or suspend critical services, warning that aid operations are becoming increasingly difficult as needs remain immense, Anadolu reports. Citing the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric warned at a news conference that “funding shortfalls are forcing humanitarian partners in Gaza to scale down or suspend critical services.” He said that nearly halfway through the year, “the $4.1 billion requirement identified in the annual appeal for Gaza and the West Bank remains less than 15% funded.” “As a result, humanitarian partners’ ability to plan, pre-position relief and respond effectively is weakening at a time when most of Gaza’s [...]