Gaza currently requires urgent humanitarian assistance in order to provide the basic needs of the population for food, water, medicine and shelter, but multiple restrictions hinder distribution, and despite the entry of humanitarian aid to the Strip, the current quantities are still far below the enormous needs of the population of Gaza, which shows the extent of the suffering caused by the war and the continuous escalation of housing in Gaza.
Overview of the flow of humanitarian assistance for Gaza and its challenges
Humanitarian aid enters the Gaza Strip mainly through the Rafah crossing and the Kerem Shalom crossing. Recent reports have indicated the entry of hundreds of trucks, including trucks loaded with fuel and gas. For example, 200 Egyptian aid trucks have entered through Kerem Shalom, and other humanitarian convoys are waiting to enter. However, these trucks are subject to a mechanism of scrutiny and review by the Israeli authorities, which may allow or prevent their entry, often blocking, leading to a significant slowdown and restriction in quantities.
Access mechanisms depend on land crossings and, in some cases, airdrops have been used for hard-to-reach areas. However, the actual distribution remains precarious owing to Israeli restrictions and security challenges within the Strip, impeding access to all those in need, particularly in conflict-affected areas.
The Gaza Strip is also suffering from severe shortages of food, medicine and basic necessities, and with growing warnings of continued systematic starvation if aid continues to be restricted, millions of Palestinians are suffering from hunger, malnutrition and lack of basic services, requiring an urgent and comprehensive response.
Humanitarian aid is urgent right now.
Despite the ceasefire agreement and the end of the war in Gaza, this does not mean an end to the famine and suffering of the population, as the effects of the war continue to weigh heavily on all aspects of life. The current humanitarian situation in the sector is extremely serious and needs to be addressed. MUrgent and intensive assistance to mitigate the disaster caused by the extensive destruction.
The reasons for the urgent need for humanitarian assistance are in several main aspects, the most important of which are:
1. Homelessness
As a result of intensive bombing during the war, tens of thousands of housing units were completely destroyed, others were partially damaged and rendered uninhabitable, and destruction in some areas such as Gaza City and Khan Younis is estimated at over 80% of buildings, meaning hundreds of thousands of families have lost their homes or had to leave because of the risk of collapse or lack of basic services.
Millions of people have been displaced to areas deemed "safer," such as the southern Gaza Strip or areas near relief centers, and many families are now living in makeshift tents, schools and partially destroyed buildings, without privacy or basic equipment. With scarce habitable land, high rental costs and tents, the displaced find themselves on the move, from one area to another, in search of temporary shelter.
The tents available are not enough for everyone, and are often not resistant to rain or wind, which makes life in them very difficult, especially with the approach of winter, and these shelters lack adequate toilets, a sewage system, and electricity, causing the spread of diseases and difficulty in maintaining personal hygiene. Many families lack blankets and warm clothes, and rely on limited aid that arrives sporadically.
Read more about the water and electricity crisis and its impact on the population in Gaza
2. Food shortages and continued starvation
The war has destroyed or disrupted a large number of markets, warehouses, and bakeries, leading to a significant reduction in the availability of basic food items such as bread, rice, grains, and oils, and high food prices, leaving them out of the reach of the majority of families.
Although some food shipments enter through the crossings, the amount of aid is far below the actual needs of the population, often reaching some areas while others remain isolated due to destruction or security restrictions. As a result, families are forced to cut back on their daily meals or cut out some basic food, increasing malnutrition especially among children.
3. Deterioration of health services
The war has destroyed or disrupted a large number of hospitals and health centers, including emergency departments and operating rooms, and many medical facilities are now operating in partially demolished buildings or in unsafe conditions, limiting their ability to provide basic health services. The lack of electricity and water has also disrupted refrigeration systems for medicines and medical equipment, rendering some medicines unusable.
Hospitals and pharmacies are acutely short of essential medicines such as heart medicines, pressure, diabetes, and antibiotics. Necessary medical equipment such as artificial respirators, incubators, and radiology devices are either destroyed or unusable. Emergency cases and major surgeries are severely limited by the absence of basic medical materials and equipment.
