The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is worsening, with Palestinian officials reporting over 100 deaths—at least 80 of them children—due to malnutrition in recent weeks.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres described the situation as a “horror show,” warning that “starvation is knocking on every door” in the besieged enclave. Israel, which controls the entry of supplies into Gaza, denies responsibility for the food shortages. It says it lifted the blockade in May, implementing new controls to prevent aid diversion to militant groups—a claim denied by Hamas and other factions.
Aid organizations, however, paint a dire picture. The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) announced that its resources in Gaza have been exhausted. “Our last tent, our last food parcel, our last relief items have been distributed. There is nothing left,” said Jan Egeland, the NRC’s secretary-general. The group reported being unable to deliver hundreds of trucks loaded with essential supplies for the past 145 days.
COGAT, Israel’s military agency responsible for aid coordination, has yet to respond to these allegations. Israel maintains that it is not obstructing humanitarian assistance and blames the UN for failing to safeguard aid from being stolen.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) echoed the NRC’s concerns, with Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini stating that many aid workers, including doctors and nurses, are collapsing from hunger while on duty. He warned that searching for food has become “as deadly as the bombardments,” describing current aid distribution methods as a “sadistic death trap.”
International criticism is mounting over the Israeli and U.S.-backed aid delivery model. The UK and other nations have condemned reported incidents of Israeli forces firing on Palestinians seeking food. Human rights monitors estimate that over 800 civilians have been killed while trying to access aid, many shot near distribution centers.
The unfolding crisis underscores growing calls for immediate, unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza, as aid agencies warn of a looming famine without urgent international intervention.
