Israel is obstructing the delivery of aid to Gaza in several ways in violation to its obligations under international law, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said.

“First and foremost, they are obstructing aid from entering through the crossings,” Shaina Low, NRC’s communications adviser, told Al Jazeera. “Aid is arbitrarily rejected and essential supplies are not allowed in, including timber to help people build shelters as they face winter.

“Sometimes the requests to access those crossings are denied for over a month.”

Once the aid enters Gaza, aid workers must request safe routes through which they can safely distribute the aid.

“Israel often denies requests to move from place to place in order to reach Palestinian families that are in desperate need,” Low said.