The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned that the Gaza Strip is enduring the “worst humanitarian situation” since the beginning of Israel’s military assault on 7 October 2023. In a statement issued on Tuesday, OCHA emphasised that the denial of aid access for more than 45 days constitutes a grave breach of international humanitarian law and poses an immediate threat to the survival of the civilian population.
The statement noted that since 2 March, Israeli authorities have imposed a full blockade on Gaza, closing all border crossings and preventing the entry of food, water, and medicine. This has led to an unprecedented escalation in hunger levels and has pushed the besieged enclave into its most critical phase of the war to date.
OCHA confirmed that this is the longest period since the escalation began in which no form of humanitarian relief has been permitted into Gaza, despite repeated appeals from United Nations bodies and international humanitarian organisations for unimpeded aid access.
The statement further highlighted that approximately 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza have been rendered homeless due to the widespread destruction of residential areas and vital infrastructure by Israeli airstrikes. The indiscriminate targeting of densely populated areas has exacerbated the already dire living conditions for the civilian population.
With a population of around 2.4 million, civilians in Gaza now face the imminent threat of widespread famine, particularly in the northern part of the Strip, where global agencies are recording some of the highest levels of food insecurity in the world.
The UN underscored that these practices amount to collective punishment, a violation prohibited under international law. Under the Fourth Geneva Convention, occupying powers are obligated to ensure the provision of food and medical care to civilians under their control. The ongoing siege and denial of aid represent a flagrant violation of these obligations.
Since 7 October 2023, over 167,000 Palestinians have been killed or wounded in Gaza, the majority of whom are women and children, with more than 11,000 people still missing—either trapped beneath the rubble or detained by Israeli forces. These figures reflect the devastating toll of Israel’s military operations, widely described as acts of genocide, carried out with direct support from the United States.
As the siege on Gaza enters its 18th year, the humanitarian crisis has reached catastrophic levels. Despite this, many global powers continue to provide military and political backing to Israel, raising serious concerns over their complicity in violations of international law.
In the face of relentless bombardment, enforced starvation, and mass displacement, the Palestinian population in Gaza remains steadfast. However, the international community’s continued inaction and silence in the face of such suffering undermine the global human rights framework and the principle of accountability for grave breaches of humanitarian law.
