Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza Deepens as Aid Remains Blocked

Gaza is currently experiencing a severe humanitarian disaster that is no longer impending but fully underway, with catastrophic consequences for its population.

More than two months have passed since Israel halted all humanitarian assistance and commercial goods entering Gaza. The World Food Program distributed its last food supplies on April 25. Approximately two million residents, nearly half of whom are children, now rely on a single meal every two to three days to survive.

At makeshift clinics operated by relief groups, including American Near East Refugee Aid, alarming signs of long-term starvation are increasingly evident. In the past ten days, laboratory tests have detected ketones—markers of starvation—in about one-third of urine samples, marking the first significant appearance of such cases since testing began in October 2024. Food, fuel, and medical supplies are either depleted or dangerously low.

Every moment is critical, yet without necessary access and political commitment to deliver aid, save lives, and alleviate suffering, efforts remain severely constrained.

This blockade represents the longest continuous total siege Gaza has endured during the ongoing conflict. Israeli authorities are reportedly using aid restrictions as a strategy of warfare, with senior officials indicating an intention to leverage starvation to compel Hamas to release hostages—a tactic that violates international law. Many Palestinians fear this may also be part of a broader plan to forcibly displace them, with humanitarian organizations warning that conditions may amount to effective internment.

The blockade, along with deliberate delays, denials, and excessive security measures, is not a mere logistical failure but a calculated system designed to impose deprivation. A brief cease-fire in January was insufficient to meet the urgent humanitarian needs. Although aid deliveries increased starting January 19, they were completely halted again by March. The explicit use of hunger as a tool of coercion is deeply troubling and unacceptable.