The humanitarian crisis in Gaza remains severe despite renewed aid deliveries, the United Nations said on Friday. After nearly 19 months of conflict and an 11-week blockade, the Palestinian territory faces its worst conditions since the war began.
Twelve days ago, Israel ended the blockade, allowing limited U.N.-led aid to resume in Gaza. A new aid channel, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation backed by the United States and Israel, was launched on Monday. However, aid remains insufficient to meet urgent needs.
U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in New York that any aid reaching people in need is positive, but added current deliveries have had very little impact. He described the situation in Gaza as catastrophic and the worst since the war began in 2023.
The GHF has distributed over 2.1 million meals, but international aid groups refuse to cooperate with it. They argue GHF is not neutral and its distribution model displaces Palestinians, raising ethical concerns. Israel supports working through the GHF and allows aid deliveries via both the U.N. and GHF for the immediate future, according to Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon.
The conflict erupted in 2023 after Hamas militants killed around 1,200 people in Israel and took about 250 hostages, according to Israeli sources. Israel’s military response has killed over 54,000 Palestinians, per Gaza health authorities.
In the past 12 days, only about 200 truckloads of aid have entered Gaza. The U.N. reports insecurity and Israeli access restrictions hinder the aid flow. Some trucks and a World Food Programme warehouse have been looted by desperate residents.
Israeli authorities have blocked ready-to-eat meals, allowing only flour for bakeries. This limited aid cannot provide a full diet to those suffering from hunger.
Aid shipments are inspected by Israel and then transported to the Palestinian side of the Kerem Shalom crossing. There, goods are offloaded and reloaded for delivery into Gaza. Hundreds of truckloads currently wait at the crossing for collection by U.N. agencies.
Israel’s military aid coordination agency said more aid would reach people if the U.N. collected it promptly. However, the U.N. said the Israeli military denied access requests to Kerem Shalom and fighting blocked most trucks from entering Gaza.
On Thursday, 65 trucks carrying aid attempted to leave Kerem Shalom, but only five trucks passed through safely. Medical aid trucks that reached a field hospital warehouse were looted by armed groups, stealing equipment and medicines meant for malnourished children, U.N. officials said.
Israel says it has facilitated aid deliveries, with 1.8 million tonnes of aid, including 1.3 million tonnes of food, reaching Gaza since the war began.
The U.S. has proposed a 60-day ceasefire accepted by Israel and under review by Hamas. This ceasefire would enable humanitarian groups like the U.N. and the Red Crescent to deliver aid through agreed channels.
During a previous two-month ceasefire, the U.N. managed to deliver 600 to 700 trucks of aid daily, significantly reducing looting as people were assured of steady food supply.
The U.N. World Food Programme director for the Middle East, North Africa, and Eastern Europe emphasized that steady aid delivery is key to preventing chaos and calming desperation among the population.
