Quick summary:
• UN warns Gaza’s humanitarian aid operation is on the verge of collapse due to Israel’s blockade and looting.
• Aid deliveries fall drastically short; only 65 trucks per day allowed, far below the needed 500–600.
• Looting gangs, allegedly operating with Israeli protection, intercept 90 percent of aid trucks entering Gaza.
• Starvation deaths exceed 60,000, with the crisis most severe in northern Gaza under Israeli military campaigns.
• Cold weather aid has reached only 23 percent of those in need, leaving nearly a million at risk of exposure this winter.
• Israeli forces killed 10 civilians waiting to buy flour in southern Gaza, intensifying the humanitarian tragedy.
• UN missions to deliver aid in Gaza were blocked 48 out of 53 times in November, underscoring restricted access.
The humanitarian aid operation in Gaza is on the brink of collapse, leaving millions of Palestinians in dire conditions. Severe restrictions by Israel and rampant looting have crippled the flow of essential aid, pushing Gaza closer to famine and widespread death. United Nations (UN) agencies and humanitarian groups are now sounding the alarm, with stark warnings about the worsening crisis.
Palestinians in Gaza are facing an unprecedented food security crisis. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) reports that desperation has reached a peak, with families scrambling for scarce food supplies. Recently, two young girls and a woman tragically died in a chaotic crowd trying to obtain food, highlighting the depth of the crisis.
The World Food Program has labeled the situation as nearing collapse, noting that Israel’s restrictions have allowed only an average of 65 aid trucks per day into Gaza in November, a fraction of the 500 to 600 trucks humanitarian groups say are needed daily. Further compounding the crisis, looting gangs have intercepted 90 percent of the aid trucks that managed to cross into the besieged territory, with reports indicating that these gangs operate under the passive or active protection of Israeli forces.
Israel’s severe blockade on Gaza has been a primary factor in this humanitarian disaster. The restrictions are particularly acute in northern Gaza, where a brutal ethnic cleansing campaign has left thousands vulnerable to starvation. UNRWA’s attempts to deliver aid have been systematically thwarted, with 48 out of 53 humanitarian missions in November blocked by Israeli authorities. Even the few approved missions faced severe obstacles, leaving only one food delivery and one hospital mission completed in northern Gaza during the month.
The violence extends beyond the blockade. Earlier this week, Israeli forces attacked a group of civilians waiting to buy flour in southern Gaza, killing at least 10 people. Such incidents underscore the relentless pressure on a population already grappling with hunger and poverty.
Health workers who recently returned from Gaza estimate that over 60,000 Palestinians have died from starvation since October. This figure is likely higher as the crisis deepens, especially in areas where humanitarian access is entirely blocked. International organizations warn that famine is either occurring or imminent, particularly in northern Gaza, where the conditions are most severe.
Families face impossible choices, with parents unable to feed their children or keep them warm as winter sets in. Beth Bechdol, head of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, stated that food access in Gaza is at an “all-time low,” further exacerbating the humanitarian disaster.
As temperatures drop, nearly a million people in Gaza are at risk of cold weather exposure. Humanitarian groups report that only 23 percent of the population’s winter aid needs have been met. The shortage includes essential items like tents, clothing, and heating materials. Without immediate intervention, the harsh winter could claim even more lives.
Efforts to address the crisis have been hampered by Israel’s refusal to cooperate with international humanitarian agencies. The Kerem Abu Salem crossing, Gaza’s primary humanitarian aid point, has been shut down due to looting and lawlessness, further isolating the population. The UN has criticized the lack of accountability, highlighting how Israeli policies obstruct meaningful relief efforts.
International food authorities and aid organizations are calling for urgent action to lift the blockade and ensure the safe delivery of aid. However, global powers have yet to intervene decisively, leaving Palestinians without the support they desperately need.
“The police’s use of force against peaceful protestors underscores a disturbing trend of prioritizing secrecy over public trust,” stated UNRWA. Transparency and accountability remain critical to addressing the crisis and ensuring that aid reaches those in need.
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