DaysofPal – The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has issued a stark warning, describing the humanitarian situation in Gaza as “beyond catastrophic,” amid relentless Israeli military assaults and ongoing severe restrictions on humanitarian access.
In a statement to Palestine Online, Inas Hamdan, Head of UNRWA’s Media Office in Gaza, said:
“The situation is no longer bearable. There is continued forced displacement, deepening human suffering, and a sharp decline in food security. Meanwhile, casualty figures keep rising, and the humanitarian tragedy is only getting worse.”
Hamdan stressed that Gaza does not need merely symbolic aid convoys. “We require at least 600 trucks per day loaded with food, water, medicine, and fuel for humanitarian agencies to effectively address the growing crises of hunger, disease, and displacement,” she said.
She further emphasized that only a full lifting of the blockade and the unrestricted opening of crossings can ensure that the required volume of aid is delivered. The current trickle — at times just five or nine trucks per day — falls dramatically short of even the most basic survival needs of the population.
Hamdan also warned that aid distribution could collapse entirely if Israeli-imposed restrictions continue to obstruct UNRWA’s operations.
“If UNRWA is unable to function due to these obstacles, the humanitarian situation will deteriorate even further — potentially beyond recovery.”
Despite mounting international pressure, Israeli bombardments have continued across Gaza. Humanitarian agencies have issued urgent alerts about the imminent risk of famine, particularly among children and women, as aid remains blocked.
UN Calls for Immediate Ceasefire
The United Nations has renewed its call for an immediate ceasefire, stating that at least 500 trucks of humanitarian aid are needed daily to deliver essential supplies such as food and medicine. The World Food Programme has reported that more than 116,000 tonnes of food, enough to sustain one million people for four months, are ready for shipment but remain stuck due to Israeli-imposed access restrictions.
In parallel, Israel and the United States are promoting a controversial aid distribution plan that the UN and multiple aid agencies have denounced as an attempt to politicize humanitarian aid. Critics argue that the plan serves military and political objectives rather than addressing the urgent humanitarian crisis.
Rising Casualties and Mass Displacement
Since the war on Gaza began on 7 October 2023, backed by the United States, more than 174,000 Palestinians have been killed or injured, the majority of them women and children. Additionally, over 11,000 people are still missing, and hundreds of thousands have been forcibly displaced from their homes.
Gaza now faces not only destruction from bombardment, but also a man-made famine, the collapse of its healthcare system, and the breakdown of all basic services — a situation UN officials say is unprecedented in scale and urgency.
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