Israel to Reduce Humanitarian Aid to Northern Gaza Amid Intensified Military Operations

Israel is set to halt or significantly reduce humanitarian aid to northern Gaza, particularly Gaza City, as it intensifies military operations against Hamas. An Israeli official, speaking anonymously, indicated that airdrops over Gaza City will cease in the coming days, and the number of aid trucks entering the northern region will decrease. This move precedes efforts to evacuate hundreds of thousands of residents to the south.

The Israeli military has declared Gaza City a combat zone, citing it as a Hamas stronghold with an active tunnel network. Recent airstrikes have targeted the city's outskirts, and the military has ended previously imposed 10-hour humanitarian pauses intended to facilitate aid delivery.

Humanitarian organizations have expressed alarm over the planned evacuation and aid reduction. Mirjana Spoljaric, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, stated, "Such an evacuation would trigger a massive population movement that no area in the Gaza Strip can absorb, given the widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure and the extreme shortages of food, water, shelter and medical care." She emphasized that a mass evacuation of Gaza City cannot be conducted safely and dignifiedly under current conditions.

The conflict, now approaching 23 months, has resulted in significant casualties. The Gaza Health Ministry reports over 63,000 Palestinian deaths, with approximately half being women and children. Additionally, at least 332 Palestinians, including 124 children, have died from malnutrition-related causes during the war.

As Israel prepares to expand its offensive, the international community continues to call for measures to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.