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Gaza Faces Humanitarian Crisis as Israel Blockade Intensifies
A month-long closure of Israeli crossings into Gaza has precipitated a severe humanitarian crisis, leaving essential supplies critically low. All bakeries supported by the UN have ceased operations, markets are devoid of fresh produce, and hospitals are struggling with shortages of vital medicines, including painkillers and antibiotics. This represents the most protracted blockade imposed during Israel’s ongoing conflict with Hamas, now spanning nearly 18 months. During Eid al-Fitr, typically a celebratory Muslim holiday, many Gazan residents reported experiencing acute hunger.
Civilians Detail Food Scarcity and Desperation
“This Eid was the absolute worst we’ve ever endured,” lamented Um Ali Hamad, a displaced woman from Beit Lahia, while searching for sustenance in Gaza City. Speaking to the BBC, she conveyed the dire situation: “We lack food and water. There was no joy in this holiday. We are utterly exhausted.”
Um Ali Hamad further described the acute scarcity of basic foodstuffs. “Staples like tomatoes, sugar, and oil are simply unavailable. Finding even a single meal daily is a struggle. Charity food distributions have also ceased.” The lack of essentials extends to baby supplies. “My grandchild, born during the conflict, is just three months old, and we cannot find milk or diapers for him,” she added.
Blockade Rationale and Ceasefire Negotiations
Israel initiated the prohibition on goods entering Gaza on March 2, citing Hamas’s rejection to prolong the initial phase of the January ceasefire agreement and release additional hostages.
Conversely, Hamas maintains its demand for progression to the subsequent phase of the original accord. This phase entails the liberation of remaining living hostages held by Hamas and a complete cessation of hostilities.
The prior two-month truce, commencing on January 19, witnessed the exchange of 33 Israeli hostages – including eight deceased – for approximately 1,900 Palestinian detainees and a substantial increase in humanitarian aid reaching the beleaguered territory.
Aid Agencies Urge Intervention Amid Depleted Supplies
Humanitarian organizations are now imploring international powers to compel Israel to permit the entry of vital supplies into Gaza. These supplies encompass food, medical provisions, hygiene items, and fuel. Aid groups emphasize Israel’s obligations under international humanitarian law.
Organizations report making difficult choices to manage their dwindling resources within Gaza. Fuel is crucial for aid transport vehicles, bakery operations, hospital generators, wells, and desalination facilities.
ActionAid, a non-governmental organization, denounced the month-long Israeli restrictions on aid as “appalling,” cautioning about an impending “new cycle of starvation and dehydration.”
The UN refuted as “ridiculous” Israeli assertions of sufficient food reserves in Gaza for its approximate two million inhabitants. This dismissal was delivered on Tuesday.
UN: “At the Tail End of Our Supplies”
“We are at the very end of our supply reserves,” stated UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, underscoring the precariousness of the situation.
Bakery Closures: A “Catastrophe”
In Gaza City, a bakery, one of 25 collaborating with the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) throughout the region, stands shuttered. Bearing a sign indicating closure “until further notice” due to fuel and flour shortages, its empty shelves and inactive ovens paint a stark picture.
Abu Alaa Jaffar, a grandfather observing the closed bakery with despair, described the situation as a “catastrophe because bread is the most essential food for us.”
“Without bread, people are unable to cope. Starvation, far worse than before, is imminent,” he warned.
Local residents informed the BBC that the price of a 25kg (55lb) bag of flour had surged tenfold, now reaching 500 shekels ($135; £104) on the black market.
Conflicting Accounts on Aid Delivery
Cogat, the Israeli military body overseeing crossings, stated that approximately 25,200 trucks carrying nearly 450,000 tonnes of aid entered Gaza during the recent ceasefire.
“That volume represents almost a third of the total trucks entering Gaza throughout the entire war, achieved in just over a month,” Cogat posted on X. “Sufficient food exists for an extended duration, provided Hamas permits civilian access.”
Israeli officials have accused Hamas of stockpiling aid for their own use. However, UN spokesperson Dujarric affirmed that the UN maintains “a robust chain of custody for all aid delivered.”
Long-Term Restrictions and Diminishing Aid
For several months, Israel has impeded the entry of commercial goods into Gaza, alleging that such trade benefits Hamas. Local food production has nearly ceased due to the ongoing conflict.
Numerous soup kitchens supported by international NGOs have recently suspended operations due to supply depletion. The WFP anticipates continuing hot meal distribution for a maximum of two weeks.
The WFP projects distributing its final food parcels within two days and possesses emergency fortified nutritional biscuits as a “last resort” for 415,000 individuals once all other food sources are exhausted.
UNRWA, the primary UN aid agency in Gaza, reports having only a few days’ worth of food supplies remaining for distribution.
“We are witnessing an exceptionally rapid depletion of our warehouse stocks,” stated Tamara al-Rifai, UNRWA communications director. “Everyone is conserving resources as the duration of this situation remains uncertain.”
“The striking aspect is the swiftness with which the positive impact of the ceasefire – the ability to deliver food and other necessities – has dissipated within four weeks,” she added.
Renewed Hostilities and Healthcare System Collapse
Israel resumed military operations in Gaza on March 18. The intensified air and ground assaults have severely hampered aid worker movement and resulted in hundreds of casualties, overwhelming healthcare facilities.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that over half of Gaza’s hospitals receiving trauma patients are operating at near full capacity.
Critical Medical Supply Shortages
Essential devices for stabilizing bone fractures are exhausted. Reserves of anesthesia, antibiotics, and intravenous fluids for injured individuals are diminishing rapidly. The WHO warns of imminent shortages of crucial supplies for expectant mothers.
Dr. Mark Perlmutter, an American surgeon recently working in Gaza, recounted using drill bits to repair a child’s fractured leg. He also noted the absence of functioning X-ray equipment in the two hospitals where he was stationed.
Compounding the crisis, Dr. Perlmutter stated the inability to properly clean wounds before surgery or even wash hands due to soap shortages.
He emphasized that another mass casualty event would result in preventable deaths from treatable injuries.
According to the Hamas-run health ministry, at least 1,066 Palestinians, approximately one-third of whom are children, have been killed since Israel’s renewed military campaign in Gaza commenced.
The WHO further cautioned about significant public health threats following the forced closure of infectious disease diagnostic facilities.
Calls for Intervention and Allegations of Collective Punishment
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is urging Israel to cease what it describes as the “collective punishment of Palestinians.”
MSF reports patients being treated without adequate pain management, and individuals with chronic conditions like epilepsy or diabetes are forced to ration essential medications.
International Court of Justice and Ongoing Mediation
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) previously mandated that Israel “take immediate and effective measures to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance” to Palestinians in Gaza.
South Africa has brought an ongoing case before the ICJ, alleging genocide against Palestinians in Gaza by Israel. Israel dismisses these accusations as “unfounded.”
The Gaza conflict originated from the deadly Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in approximately 1,200 fatalities and 251 hostages taken to Gaza. Palestinian health authorities state that over 50,000 Palestinians have died since.
Arab mediators are actively attempting to revive the ceasefire agreement.
Hamas announced on Saturday its acceptance of a new proposal from Egypt. Israel indicated it presented a counterproposal in coordination with the US, also involved in mediation efforts.
However, as yet, there are no indications of an impending breakthrough or resolution to the Israeli closure of Gaza crossings.