Humanitarian workers in Gaza face increasing danger from Israeli forces. The UN reports that at least 369 aid workers, including 263 UNRWA staff, have been killed since October 2023.
On Jan. 5, a World Food Program convoy was attacked near the Wadi Gaza checkpoint. Despite having the necessary clearances from Israeli authorities, at least 16 bullets struck the clearly marked vehicles. No injuries were reported, but the attack underscored the danger faced by aid workers trying to reach those in need.
According to the WFP, “Security conditions in Gaza must urgently improve for lifesaving humanitarian assistance to continue.”
Quick summary:
• Between October 6 and December 31, 2024, Israel blocked 149 of 165 UN aid missions attempting to deliver food, water, and medical supplies to northern Gaza.
• An estimated 65,000 to 75,000 Palestinians remain trapped in northern Gaza without basic necessities, including access to hospitals, which have been forced to close.
• Aid workers face deadly risks, with 369 humanitarian workers killed in Gaza since October, and convoys frequently looted or attacked by Israeli forces.
• The blockade has left Gaza’s food supply stranded, while famine conditions are imminent or already ongoing, according to international experts.
• Winter supplies remain blocked, and at least eight infants have died from hypothermia due to inadequate shelter and clothing.
• On Jan. 5, Israeli forces opened fire on a World Food Program convoy, despite the vehicles having clearances.
• The UN and humanitarian groups are calling for accountability and protection for aid workers, warning that Gaza is on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe.
For over three months, Israel has systematically blocked or impeded humanitarian aid deliveries to northern Gaza, resulting in a worsening humanitarian catastrophe. As conditions in Gaza continue to deteriorate, international agencies warn that famine may already be ongoing in the region, leaving tens of thousands of Palestinians without food, water, electricity, and medical care.
The United Nations reported that between October 6 and December 31, 2024, it attempted to reach northern Gaza 165 times to deliver aid. Of those missions, 149 were entirely blocked by Israeli authorities, and 16 were partially completed due to interruptions. The blockade has left an estimated 65,000 to 75,000 Palestinians trapped in northern Gaza without access to essential supplies, as Israeli forces continue their siege.
With hospitals forced to close and winter supplies blocked, aid workers are sounding the alarm on the humanitarian collapse.
The blockade on northern Gaza has created a dire situation for the remaining population, with no signs of improvement. UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher said on Monday that the aid operation across Gaza is at a “breaking point,” noting that Israeli forces recently opened fire on a World Food Program convoy.
“There is no meaningful civil order. Israeli forces are unable or unwilling to ensure the safety of our convoys. Statements by Israeli authorities vilify our aid workers even as the military attacks them. Community volunteers who accompany our convoys are being targeted,” Fletcher said. “There is now a perception that it is dangerous to protect aid convoys but safe to loot them.”
According to the UN, Israeli forces have allowed looting gangs to seize most of the humanitarian aid entering Gaza in recent months. Aid organizations say they cannot guarantee that supplies will reach those who need them most due to the lack of security.
Between October 6 and December 31, 2024, the UN attempted to carry out 5,321 coordinated humanitarian missions across Gaza, but many were either blocked or impeded. Of the missions in northern Gaza, 48 percent were facilitated, 24 percent were denied, 19 percent faced interference, and nine percent were canceled due to security issues.
The ongoing blockade and attacks on aid workers have hampered the delivery of life-saving supplies, leaving civilians to fend for themselves in desperate conditions.
Conditions in northern Gaza are rapidly approaching what experts describe as a famine. With Israeli forces blocking food shipments and looting aid convoys, residents are left without enough food to survive.
Food security experts have warned that the situation is deteriorating rapidly. The UN reports that food assistance equivalent to rations for the entire population for more than three months remains stranded outside the Gaza Strip due to restrictions imposed by Israeli authorities.
Hospitals have been particularly affected by the blockade. The last three functioning hospitals in northern Gaza were forced to close over the past two weeks due to ongoing attacks and lack of fuel. The World Health Organization has warned that zero fuel reserves remain to power electricity generators in hospitals, putting patients, including newborns, at grave risk.
Relief International reported that the Al Awda Hospital, the last partially functioning hospital in northern Gaza, was ordered to evacuate patients and staff by Israeli forces on January 3. The hospital’s fuel tank and remaining generator were destroyed in an attack, leaving the facility struggling to operate.
The situation is equally dire across the rest of Gaza. The Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis announced that its generators would cease functioning within 24 hours due to fuel depletion, putting the lives of premature babies and ICU patients at imminent risk.
With winter temperatures dropping, the lack of warm clothing and shelter has caused further preventable deaths. The UN reported that Israel allowed only 19,000 children’s winter clothing kits to be distributed in Gaza out of the 220,000 kits procured by humanitarian organizations.
Supplies like blankets, cold-weather clothing, and tents are stuck at Gaza’s entry points as Israeli authorities continue to restrict their entry. According to the UN, at least eight infants have died from hypothermia in recent weeks due to the lack of adequate shelter.
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) stated that between October and December 2024, the neonatal intensive care unit at Nasser Medical Complex treated 325 infants for potentially life-threatening respiratory infections, dehydration, and other complications related to the harsh winter conditions.
The WHO Director-General recently warned, “More children are in danger. Every child deserves a healthy and safe start in life… the children of Gaza are paying the price of war with their own lives.”
Humanitarian workers in Gaza face increasing danger from Israeli forces. The UN reports that at least 369 aid workers, including 263 UNRWA staff, have been killed since October 2023.
On Jan. 5, a World Food Program convoy was attacked near the Wadi Gaza checkpoint. Despite having the necessary clearances from Israeli authorities, at least 16 bullets struck the clearly marked vehicles. No injuries were reported, but the attack underscored the danger faced by aid workers trying to reach those in need.
In a statement, WFP emphasized, “Security conditions in Gaza must urgently improve for lifesaving humanitarian assistance to continue.”
The UN Human Rights Office has documented numerous attacks on hospitals and medical facilities. Between October 2023 and June 2024, there were 136 verified strikes on hospitals in Gaza, resulting in the destruction of medical infrastructure and casualties among healthcare workers.
Human rights organizations have condemned Israel’s blockade as a violation of international humanitarian law. The Fourth Geneva Convention prohibits collective punishment of civilian populations, and legal experts have stated that Israel’s actions in Gaza amount to collective punishment.
The UN and various humanitarian groups have called for an independent investigation into the blockade and attacks on civilians in Gaza. The WHO and UNICEF have both issued statements urging Israeli authorities to allow unhindered access for humanitarian aid.
Humanitarian workers in Gaza face increasing danger from Israeli forces. The UN reports that at least 369 aid workers, including 263 UNRWA staff, have been killed since October 2023.
On Jan. 5, a World Food Program convoy was attacked near the Wadi Gaza checkpoint. Despite having the necessary clearances from Israeli authorities, at least 16 bullets struck the clearly marked vehicles. No injuries were reported, but the attack underscored the danger faced by aid workers trying to reach those in need.
According to the WFP, “Security conditions in Gaza must urgently improve for lifesaving humanitarian assistance to continue.”
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