The siege and famine in Gaza is a humanitarian tragedy that is worsening daily, with more than two million people living under siege and suffocating war, in addition to the systematic starvation of Palestinian civilians in Gaza. Whole families sleep without food, and children suffer from wasting and severe malnutrition.
With severe shortages of water and medicine, life in Gaza has turned into a daily struggle for survival, hospitals are barely functioning, and shelters are crowded with families who have lost everything.
What is the history of the Gaza blockade and its impact on the region?
Israel imposed a crippling blockade on people, materials and goods to and from Gaza and tightened the blockade on Gaza, blocking electricity, fuel and many goods, especially after Hamas took power in 2007. Israel closed the Rafah crossing, the only crossing into the Strip from Egypt, to prevent weapons smuggling. Although this blockade restricts the freedom of the residents of the Gaza Strip, Israel continues with this blockade and it is becoming more difficult every time, especially with the current war in the Strip.
Read more about Gaza under 18-year siege
The impact of the blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip more than 17 years ago has left the population with difficult living conditions that are beyond its means. The blockade imposed severe restrictions on the movement of people and goods, leading to widespread economic paralysis and a decline in the level of basic services, especially in the areas of health, education, water and energy. With the escalation of the aggression, thousands of families are facing the threat of hunger and undernourishment, with food shortages and high prices if any.
Causes of the blockade and famine in Gaza
Israel has strictly controlled materials entering Gaza, including food, fuel and construction materials since the blockade began. With the Yom Kippur War, Israel denied humanitarian access, and restrictions on crossings prevented the entry of sufficient quantities of food and medical aid. Aid convoys are also targeted, with farmers denied access to their land near the border and fishermen targeted at sea. Here are the top three reasons for the blockade and famine in Gaza:
1. Escalating humanitarian conditions due to the war
Ongoing bombardments have caused extensive damage to infrastructure, including hospitals, health care centers, and water and electricity networks, disrupting basic services on which residents depend. In addition, the war has caused massive internal displacement, with thousands of civilians forced to leave their homes and take refuge in less safe or overcrowded places, adding to the suffering of people due to lack of food, safe drinking water and poor health conditions.
2. Closing crossings and reducing aid access
The closure of the crossings is one of the main factors exacerbating the humanitarian crisis, as the closure of most of the crossings has led to the suspension of the entry of basic foodstuffs, medicines, and construction materials, as well as medical equipment and fuel necessary to operate hospitals and water stations. Moreover, the closure of the crossings makes it more difficult for patients to leave for treatment outside Gaza, increasing death rates among critical cases requiring specialized medical interventions that are not available within the Strip.
3. Silence of the international community
The international community is still dealing with the crisis in silence, and as famine escalates, casualties increase, and infrastructure is destroyed, it has not been matched by real and effective international action that lives up to the suffering.
How does the blockade and famine in Gaza affect the lives of the population?
1. Hunger and undernutrition
Thousands of families are food insecure and cannot afford one meal a day. Children in particular suffer from severe malnutrition, which threatens their physical and mental development, and many families are forced to consume unhealthy food or herbs to satisfy hunger.
Read more Starvation Eradication
2. Deterioration of Public Health
The lack of medicines and medical supplies exacerbates the suffering of patients, especially cancer, kidney and heart patients, and hospitals are operating less than 20% of their capacity, some of which are completely out of service. Diseases are spread by drinking unclean water and poor hygiene resulting from the collapse of infrastructure.
3. Loss of shelter and destruction of homes
War and siege have destroyed homes, displaced hundreds of thousands, and displaced people are living in harsh conditions in schools or overcrowded tents, with no privacy or means of life.
4. Lack of basic services
Electricity only arrives for a few hours – or goes out for days, and drinking water is contaminated or unavailable in many areas. There is no effective sanitation, which threatens to spread epidemics.
With this deepening famine and suffocating blockade depriving Gazans of the most basic necessities of life, the need for humanitarian support is more urgent than ever. Thousands of families are starving, children are sleeping on empty stomachs, and patients are suffering without treatment. In this painful scene, your donation to Gaza can save a life, and give hope to those who have lost everything. Donate now to Gaza to get food for a hungry child, medicine for a patient awaiting recovery, or a tent housing a displaced family.
