UN warns of growing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza

The UN and partners on Sunday issued a stark warning over the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, as Israeli authorities maintain a near-total blockade on the delivery of aid for a ninth consecutive week.

In a statement released by the UN Humanitarian Country Team – which leads coordinated relief efforts across the Occupied Palestinian Territory – officials condemned Israeli efforts to dismantle the current aid system.

The team led by the UN’s top aid official in the region representing UN and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) both international and Palestinian, said Israeli plans would "contravene fundamental humanitarian principles" and deepen the suffering of civilians already enduring severe shortages of food, water, and medical care.

“Bakeries have shut. Community kitchens have closed. Warehouses stand empty. Children have gone hungry,” the statement said, describing the dire conditions facing the population.

The UN said Israeli authorities were attempting to impose a new aid distribution system that would funnel humanitarian supplies through military-controlled hubs, rather than allowing UN agencies and NGOs to operate independently.

‘Dangerous’ Israeli proposal

The proposal, the UN said, would leave “large parts of Gaza, including the less mobile and most vulnerable people,” without aid and would force civilians to enter militarised areas to access basic necessities.

“This is dangerous, driving civilians into militarised zones to collect rations, threatening lives, including those of humanitarian workers,” the UN said, warning it would also exacerbate forced displacement across the strip.

According to news reports, the Israeli government has defended the policy as a security measure. At the same time, Israeli forces are planning to ramp up operations in central and southern Gaza.

On Saturday, call up notices were reportedly issued to thousands of Israeli military reservists, indicating a likely escalation of the offensive inside the Strip.

Guiding principles

The UN statement reaffirmed that aid operations must remain guided by the principles of “humanity, impartiality, independence and neutrality” and said all 16 UN entities and major humanitarian partners working in Gaza had endorsed this unified position.

“Humanitarian action responds to people’s needs, wherever they are,” the team said.

UN teams remain on the ground, “ready to again scale up the delivery of critical supplies and services” once the blockade is lifted. They urged global leaders to intervene and pressure Israel to reopen border crossings immediately.

“The time is now,” the UN said.

In a social media post on Sunday, the UN aid agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, pointed out that nearly a third of essential supplies for civilians in the Gaza Strip are out of stock while another third are projected to run out in under two months.