Gaza City, Gaza Strip — The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached alarming levels as basic food prices skyrocket, medical supplies dwindle, and aid distribution faces severe cuts, leading local officials and aid organizations to express urgent concerns. With reports indicating an imminent catastrophe, the World Food Programme and UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) have already depleted their food stocks intended for community kitchens that feed vulnerable families throughout the territory.
During the brief ceasefire earlier this year, aid organizations managed to build limited reserves, but those have now been exhausted. A senior UN official stressed the dire situation, warning that once remaining supplies are used, the community kitchens will be forced to close. “People are managing for now, but we know from previous crises that situations can quickly deteriorate,” the official said.
Following the end of the ceasefire nearly two months ago, Israel implemented a blockade that has halted vital supplies of food, fuel, and medicine from reaching Gaza. This blockade has already led to the shutdown of numerous bakeries that once provided bread to hundreds of thousands. Only a handful of community kitchens remain operational, offering minimal meals consisting primarily of lentils, plain pasta, or rice. “These kitchens are a lifeline for many. If they shut down, we are looking at widespread starvation,” warned Hani Abu Qasim from the Rafah Charity Kitchen.
Market shelves across Gaza stand nearly empty, with skyrocketing prices leaving the majority unable to afford even the most basic necessities. Common items have seen staggering price increases; the cost of tomatoes has surged from a few dollars to $8 per kilogram, while sugar and flour have seen even greater spikes.
Gaza resident Um Aboud, 45, shared her family’s grim reality, indicating they often go without food and struggle to secure basic daily meals. “The conditions are unbearable. We face a lack of clean water and electricity, and everywhere we look, garbage piles up,” she lamented.
Significant portions of Gaza, currently around 70%, are under evacuation orders or situated in buffer zones controlled by Israeli military forces. Since the ceasefire’s end, approximately 400,000 individuals have been displaced, exacerbating the plight of those already suffering.
Israeli officials have justified the blockade by alleging that Hamas misappropriates humanitarian aid, a claim that local aid workers firmly deny. Meanwhile, the al-Najjar family, displaced and living in a tent camp near Khan Younis, has resorted to preparing meals from scant resources, highlighting the stark change from their pre-war lives when they enjoyed hearty family meals.
The United Nations has flagged a worrying increase in childhood malnutrition rates, with reports of acute malnutrition among children rising by 80% in just a month. UN officials are preparing a comprehensive assessment to be released next month.
The medical situation is equally critical, with the International Committee of the Red Cross reporting urgent shortages of essential medical supplies. A spokesperson remarked, “We are in a dire situation, facing demands for sterile gloves to body bags, as hospitals are overwhelmed with patients needing immediate care.”
The current violence was ignited by a surprise assault from Hamas in October 2023, which resulted in significant casualties and captures. Israeli officials assert that the blockade is also a strategic measure to pressure Hamas into releasing hostages, while human rights advocates have criticized it as a potential war crime.
In the past day alone, local health authorities reported a grim total of 51 Palestinians had died due to continued Israeli airstrikes, raising the overall death toll to over 52,000 since the conflict began. International scrutiny is increasing, with the International Court of Justice set to hear a case regarding the legality of Israel’s blockade of UNRWA activities, which Israel argues has been compromised by Hamas’ infiltration.
As this crisis deepens, millions in Gaza continue to hope for a resolution, even as their conditions worsen daily.