UN Calls for Urgent Humanitarian Aid to Gaza as Food Supplies Run Out Amid Israeli-Hamas Conflict, Over 2,000 Dead

The United Nations has urgently appealed for humanitarian access to Gaza, where food supplies are depleted due to Israel's blockade and military actions against Hamas. The World Food Programme reports over two million Palestinians face severe hunger, with food prices soaring by up to 1,400%. Since the ceasefire collapsed in March, over 2,000 deaths have been reported, contributing to a total of more than 51,000 since October 2023. UN officials warn of catastrophic conditions, with malnutrition, displacement, and infrastructure collapse threatening civilian survival.

UN Appeals for Immediate Humanitarian Access

UN Secretary-General António Guterres and multiple UN agencies have repeatedly called for the urgent reopening of Gaza’s borders to allow humanitarian aid to enter. The WFP emphasized that the current blockade, now in its eighth week, is the longest Gaza has ever faced, exacerbating an already dire situation. Food prices have skyrocketed by up to 1,400% compared to the ceasefire period earlier this year, and essential commodities such as dairy, eggs, fruits, and meat have largely disappeared from the market.

The WFP warned that without immediate action, critical food assistance programs would be forced to end. "WFP urges all parties to prioritize the needs of civilians and allow aid to enter Gaza immediately and uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law," the agency stated.

Food Supplies Exhausted, Famine Looms

The WFP announced on Friday that it had delivered its last remaining food stocks to community kitchens, which are expected to run out of supplies within days. All 25 WFP-supported bakeries in Gaza closed on March 31 after exhausting their wheat flour and cooking fuel. More than 116,000 metric tonnes of food aid, enough to feed one million people for up to four months, are currently positioned at aid corridors, ready to be delivered once border crossings reopen.

The humanitarian crisis has deepened to the point where the Hamas-run Gaza government media office declared that famine is no longer a looming threat but a present reality. According to their reports, 52 people, including 50 children, have died from hunger and malnutrition, and over one million children are experiencing daily hunger.

Intensified Israeli Military Operations and Rising Casualties

Since the collapse of the ceasefire in early March, Israeli forces have intensified their military campaign against Hamas targets across Gaza. The UN human rights office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory reported a sharp deterioration in the humanitarian situation, citing widespread destruction of essential infrastructure and mass civilian casualties.

Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry reported that as of Friday, more than 51,439 Palestinians have been killed since the conflict began in October 2023. In the past week alone, over 2,000 deaths have been recorded following renewed Israeli airstrikes, including 84 fatalities within a 24-hour period, according to local health authorities.

Recent attacks have targeted residential areas, with reports of entire families killed in Khan Younis and other southern regions. The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) stated that Israeli military operations have forced Palestinians into less than one-third of Gaza’s territory, with about half a million people newly displaced over the past month.

Humanitarian Infrastructure on the Brink of Collapse

The blockade has not only halted food supplies but also critically impacted medical services. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported severe shortages of medicine, medical supplies, and fuel needed to power hospital generators. The World Health Organization (WHO) described the situation as "an awful and grim moment," warning that the blockade must end to save lives.

Hospitals are overwhelmed with casualties, and the lack of clean water, shelter, and sanitation has led to a surge in disease and malnutrition, particularly among children, pregnant women, and the elderly. Aid agencies on the ground describe the situation as the worst humanitarian crisis Gaza has faced since the conflict began.

Israeli Position and International Response

Israel maintains that the blockade is necessary to prevent Hamas from diverting humanitarian aid for military purposes, a claim Hamas denies. Israeli authorities argue that during the ceasefire, sufficient aid entered Gaza, with 25,000 aid trucks delivering nearly 450,000 tonnes of supplies. However, humanitarian organizations, including the UN, insist that the aid provided during the ceasefire was insufficient to meet the immense needs of the population.

Rights groups have criticized the blockade as a "starvation tactic" and a potential war crime. The International Court of Justice had previously ordered Israel to facilitate humanitarian aid into Gaza, a directive that remains unfulfilled.

Despite mounting international pressure, Israeli officials have indicated no intention of lifting the blockade. Defense Minister Israel Katz recently stated that the blockade would continue as a means to pressure Hamas into releasing hostages.

UN Calls for Urgent Humanitarian Aid to Gaza as Food Supplies Run Out Amid Israeli-Hamas Conflict, Over 2,000 Dead

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