The UN announced the appointment of a coordinator to oversee humanitarian relief shipments into Gaza.

It comes as part of a UN Security Council resolution adopted on Friday to boost aid. 

Sigrid Kaag of the Netherlands will be the senior humanitarian and reconstruction coordinator for Gaza and will start the role on 8 January the UN said.

“In this role she will facilitate, coordinate, monitor and verify humanitarian relief consignments for Gaza,” said the UN.

She will also establish a “mechanism” to accelerate aid into Gaza through countries not involved with the conflict. 

Explained: Friday’s Security Council resolution stopped short of calling for a ceasefire after a week of vote delays and intense negotiations to avoid a United States veto. 

It calls for “urgent steps to immediately allow safe, unhindered, and expanded humanitarian access and to create the conditions for a sustainable cessation of hostilities”.

The US and Israel oppose a ceasefire, believing it would only benefit Hamas. 

Washington instead supports pauses in fighting to protect civilians and free hostages taken by Hamas.