Special report: Palestine-Israel Relations

    GAZA, July 23 (Xinhua) -- A UN official in Gaza Strip said Wednesday that poverty in the enclave is mounting despite an one-month-long truce between Israel and Hamas.

    "The situation in the Gaza Strip continues to deteriorate and the number of poor people continues to increase one month after a truce has been reached," John Ging, operation director of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in the impoverished enclave told reporters.

    Following a truce brokered by Egypt between Israel and Gaza militant groups, which took effect on June 19, Israel has slightly eased the blockade imposed on the strip and allowed more amounts of food, fuels and raw materials into Gaza.

    "The poor people here in Gaza don't feel the benefits of the truce and their living conditions continue to deteriorate as Israel still doesn't allow all kinds of basic goods and food supplies into Gaza," said Ging.

    Ging announced that his international relief organization decided to offer 6.5 million U.S. dollars as an urgent aid to around 100,000 poor Gaza residents registered at UNRWA.

    He slammed Israel for the few amounts of fuel it allows into Gaza everyday, adding that the amounts of fuel allowed into the enclave "are not exceeding 25 percent of the whole amount allowed before."

    "I can't imagine that the residents of the Gaza Strip can bear such a difficult situation," Ging said, adding "In spite of the humble abilities of UNRWA and its budget deficiency, we do all our best to help the people here."

    Ging called on both Israel and Egypt to immediately and completely opened all Gaza Strip border crossing points, including Rafah crossing on the border between Gaza and Egypt.