Escalating Hunger and Violence as Gaza Aid Crisis Deepens

Twenty-one months into the conflict between Israel and Hamas, Gaza is experiencing severe food shortages and rising casualties, with international organizations warning of a man-made starvation crisis. The World Health Organization's Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, told reporters that Palestinians are enduring "mass starvation" due to the ongoing aid blockade, noting that food distribution sites have become increasingly dangerous.

According to the United Nations, over a thousand people have been killed by Israeli forces while seeking food since late May, with hundreds of deaths occurring near sites operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a new aid group backed by Israel and the United States. The GHF was established to replace the UN's aid role in Gaza but has faced criticism for failing to improve conditions and for its limited number of distribution sites.

The entire population of Gaza, approximately 2.1 million people, is now food insecure. Gaza’s health ministry reported that 900,000 children are experiencing hunger, with 70,000 showing signs of malnutrition. Before the war, Gaza already faced significant restrictions on goods and movement due to a longstanding blockade, but aid deliveries have dropped from 500-600 trucks per day to an average of just 28, according to humanitarian groups.

After Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack, Israel imposed a complete siege, cutting off electricity, food, water, and fuel. Human rights groups have accused Israel of using food as a "weapon of war" and imposing collective punishment. A brief ceasefire in late November 2023 allowed some aid to enter, but the truce quickly collapsed, and deliveries dwindled again amid strict Israeli inspections and ongoing violence.

The UN’s Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) was banned from operating in Gaza in January after Israel accused some staff of involvement in the October 7 attack. The UN found that nine of 13,000 Gaza-based employees "may have" participated and no longer worked at the agency. The ban cut off vital services for hundreds of thousands of people.

As the conflict continued, lawlessness increased, with looting and violence disrupting aid deliveries. The UN warned that civil order was collapsing, and by November 2024, said the capacity to deliver aid was "completely gone." Gangs began stealing and reselling aid, and Israel armed local militias to counter Hamas, a move criticized by opposition politicians.

A new ceasefire in January 2024 briefly resumed aid, but supplies remained insufficient. Israel reinstated a total blockade in March, and by July, the World Food Programme reported that a quarter of Gaza's population faced famine-like conditions. The Palestinian health ministry said at least 80 children have died of malnutrition since the conflict began, most after the March blockade.

The GHF began operations in May, coordinating with the Israeli military and using private contractors for security. The UN refused to participate, citing concerns over humanitarian principles. Critics noted the limited number of GHF sites forced large crowds to gather, increasing the risk of violence. The GHF stated its model was designed to prevent looting, but deadly incidents have occurred near its sites since operations began.

Palestinian officials and witnesses have attributed most deaths at aid sites to Israeli troops. The Israeli military acknowledged firing warning shots in some cases but denied responsibility for all incidents. On Sunday, dozens were reportedly killed by Israeli forces while waiting for aid in northern Gaza, with Israel stating troops responded to an "immediate threat."

International humanitarian organizations have called on Israel to end the blockade and agree to a ceasefire, warning that supplies are "totally depleted" and aid workers are witnessing colleagues suffer from hunger. An Israeli official said more aid is expected to enter Gaza as long as Hamas is not involved in distribution. Foreign ministers from 25 Western nations criticized Israel for "drip feeding" aid, a statement Israel's foreign ministry rejected as "disconnected from reality."