Humanitarian Aid During The Israel–Hamas War

During the Israel-Hamas war, significant issues arose with humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. Israel's initial blockade on Gaza prevented the entry of humanitarian aid for several weeks. As the war progressed, aid was allowed at limited quantities, with entities such as Oxfam, the European Union, United Kingdom, and United Nations stating that Israel deliberately blocked humanitarian aid. These limitations have contributed to a severe humanitarian crisis and famine. Israeli airstrikes and continued restrictions on aid entry led to widespread shortages of food and supplies. Humanitarian aid agencies warned of the dire humanitarian consequences of aid restrictions, particularly after major Western donors announced they would cease funding UNRWA, the major aid relief agency in Gaza.

The prewar amount of aid trucks into Gaza was 500-600 a day. Estimates say that Gaza needs 1,000-1,500 trucks to alleviate starvation. Israel has failed to reach any of these goals.

Background

Israeli imposed closure on the movement of goods and people to and from Gaza dates back to 1991. This policy was initially temporary, but eventually developed into a permanent administrative measure in March 1993. Since then, the closure has varied in intensity, but has never been completely lifted. In 1994, Israel built the Gaza–Israel barrier as a security measure. Since then, there are four border crossings between Israel and the Gaza Strip through the barrier: the Kerem Shalom, Karni, Erez, and Sufa crossings. All goods bound for Gaza as well as exports passing through Israel must use one of these crossings, and undergo security inspection before being permitted to enter or leave Gaza. After the 2005 withdraw of Israeli settlers from Gaza, all trade was ceased and the entrance of goods was limited to a "humanitarian minimum", allowing only those goods which are "essential to the survival of the civilian population".

2023 October block on aid

On 9 October, Israel implemented a complete blockade on Gaza, preventing the entry of any humanitarian aid. Egypt closed its border to prevent civilians fleeing, but said that it would allow aid to be delivered through the Rafah crossing. A week later, despite international calls for deliveries, hundreds of tons of aid were stuck on Egypt's side of the border, as Israel bombarded the crossing amid fears of weapons deliveries, and declined to assure Egyptian authorities it would pause airstrikes for civilian aid convoys. In Israel, aid to Gaza was reportedly prevented by far-right politicians allied with Netanyahu. On 17 October, the UNRWA stated that there was currently "no water or electricity in Gaza. Soon there will be no food or medicine either".

Resumption of deliveries after October 2023

Deliveries to southern Gaza

On 18 October, Israel announced it would allow food, water, and medicine to be delivered to a "safe zone" in the west Khan Younis in southern Gaza, distributed by the United Nations. Later the same day, US president Joe Biden announced Egypt agreed to allow 20 trucks with aid to enter Gaza by 20 October. More than 100 trucks of aid were waiting at the Rafah crossing to enter into Gaza. In a statement, Human Rights Watch stated that without electricity or fuel, however, the provided aid would fail "meeting the needs of Gaza's population". On 19 October, US Special Envoy David M. Satterfield stated the US wanted "sustained" aid into Gaza. The same day, a spokesman for Oxfam stated aid distribution in Gaza would be a "big challenge", and the UN reported at least 100 trucks a day of aid were needed. On 21 October 20 trucks of aid entered Gaza. António Guterres stated it was not enough to prevent a "humanitarian catastrophe". Martin Griffiths said the UN was working to develop an "at-scale operation". On 22 October, following the second delivery of trucks, Biden and Netanyahu stated aid would continue to be allowed into Gaza.

Delivery during temporary ceasefire

The amount of aid entering Gaza increased during the temporary November ceasefire. On 26 November, the largest shipment of humanitarian aid reached northern Gaza since the start of the conflict nearly two months before. Philippe Lazzarini stated the aid entering Gaza was still inadequate. Samer AbdelJaber, a World Food Programme head, stated people were hungry and desperate. On 28 November, the White House reported that over 2,000 trucks of aid had entered Gaza since 21 October.

Resumption of hostilities

December 2023

Following the resumption of hostilities on 1 December, aid deliveries into Gaza ceased. The IDF informed the Palestinian Red Crescent that the entry of trucks was "prohibited, starting from today" until further notice. Later the same day, the United States announced they had requested a reversal of the decision, and Israel stated it was prepared to allow aid at pre-pause levels. On 4 December, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stated that approximately 100 humanitarian aid trucks and 69,000 litres of fuel entered Gaza on 3 and 4 December. This was “well below” the on average 170 trucks and 110,000 litres of fuel that were delivered daily during the temporary ceasefire. On 4 December, Lynn Hastings, a UN humanitarian coordinator, stated, "The conditions required to deliver aid to the people of Gaza do not exist" and warned of a "hellish scenario" in which aid delivery was entirely impossible. Josep Borrell shared a warning on social media from Martin Griffiths stating an immediate ceasefire was needed for the UN to continue humanitarian operations. WHO stated Israel shot at its humanitarian relief trucks in Gaza City.

On 15 December, Israel approved the reopening of the Kerem Shalom crossing and announced that the US would be paying to upgrade the Rafah crossing. Following a tour of the Rafah crossing, MEP Barry Andrews stated he believed Israel was deliberately delaying aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip. On 19 December, UNRWA headquarters was bombed. UN chief Antonio Guterres stated the way Israel was conducting its offensive was creating obstacles for delivery. On 29 December, Israel fired on a humanitarian aid truck marked with U.N. insignia. Israel announced on 31 December it was prepared to allow aid ships from Cyprus to enter Gaza.

January 2024

France and Jordan airdropped aid on 5 January. On 11 January, Samer AbdelJaber, a World Food Programme director, stated the organization had delivered "crucial food assistance to thousands of people facing catastrophic hunger" in Gaza City for the first time in weeks.

On 13 January 2024, UNOCHA reported the amount of aid Israel was allowing into Israel had significantly decreased since the prior month. Omar Shakir, Human Rights Watch's Israel-Palestine director, stated, "This is a deliberate Israeli government policy. Aid is not reaching north Gaza." US senators Chris Van Hollen and Jeff Merkley criticized Israel's inspection of humanitarian aid as "arbitrary" and "broken". A joint statement by the heads of UNICEF, WHO, and the World Food Programme stated the limited quantity of aid arriving in Gaza was unable to prevent the "deadly combination of hunger, malnutrition, and disease". A viral video showed huge crowds of hungry people rushing toward a rumored relief truck. On 16 January, a deal was reached between Israel and Hamas to bring more aid into Gaza. On 19 January, UNOCHA reported that nearly 70% of its aid deliveries to northern Gaza had been denied by Israel. On 29 January, the United Nations reported that Israel had denied 29 aid missions to northern Gaza.

In late January, at least 15 countries announced they were suspending funding for UNRWA. Philippe Lazarrini, the agency chief, stated, "Our humanitarian operation, on which 2 million people depend as a lifeline in Gaza, is collapsing." The regional director of Doctors Without Borders stated, "If you stop these trucks, people will die of hunger and very quickly". UNRWA warned that without continued funding, it would be forced to cease operations by the end of February 2024.

February 2024

On 11 February 2024, the UNRWA head said a month's worth of food supply was being blocked at Israel's Ashdod port. UNOCHA reported that only six of the 24 planned United Nations aid missions to northern Gaza had been completed in the month of February.

The World Food Programme announced on 20 February they were ceasing aid deliveries to northern Gaza, stating, "Gaza is hanging by a thread and WFP must be enabled to reverse the path towards famine for thousands of desperately hungry people". WFP stated their last aid mission had been surrounded by "crowds of hungry people". On 20 February, at least one Palestinian civilian was killed while waiting to receive humanitarian aid.

In a 21 February article CNN reported that according to documentation examined by both the UN and CNN, a UN humanitarian convoy carrying food supplies was fired upon by the IDF before being blocked from entering northern Gaza on 5 February. The convoy's path had been agreed upon by the IDF and the UN, and the convoy had been stopped at an IDF holding point for over an hour when it was fired upon, causing much of its contents which included wheat flour to be destroyed. The UN blamed "Israeli naval gunfire", while CNN identified three Israeli missile ships nearby that could have shot at the convoy.

Britain and Jordan air dropped medicine and other aid to Tal al-Hawa Hospital in northern Gaza. Humanitarian organizations warned that a Rafah offensive could lead to the end of even limited aid entering Gaza. On 22 February, UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini stated the organization had reached its "breaking point", with continued humanitarian services now "seriously threatened". Satellite imagery showed more than 1,000 aid trucks on the Egyptian side of the border waiting to cross into Gaza. By late-February, only four trucks were entering per day, compared to 133 at the start of the month. On 23 February, UNRWA said it was no longer operational in northern Gaza, where civil order had collapsed due to Israel's bombardment and restriction on food. UNRWA stated aid hadn't reached northern Gaza in a month.

On 25 February, satellite imagery showed as many as 2,000 humanitarian aid trucks at the Egyptian border waiting to enter Gaza. The World Food Programme's director for emergencies stated there was enough food waiting to enter Gaza to feed the entire population, yet it was delayed due to Israel's ongoing attacks and "delays at the checkpoints". On 26 February, USAID director Samantha Power stated only 85 humanitarian aid trucks had entered in the past week, while 500 trucks were needed daily. The same day, ten trucks were allowed to enter northern Gaza, described as a "trickle" of what was needed. Ten people were killed waiting for aid. People seeking aid were attacked by Israeli forces on multiple occasions. The Jordanian Air Force conducted its largest airdrop of the war, parachuting aid to eleven sites along the Gaza coast. The following day, the Egyptian Air Force conducted its first aid drop of the war, dropping 45 tonnes of aid supplies. The World Food Programme described airdrops as an option of last resort.

On 27 February, Doctors Without Borders stated, "The provision of aid within the enclave is nearly impossible due to Israel’s complete disregard for the protection and safety of medical and humanitarian missions and their staff, cutting people off from lifesaving aid. This reality is making the humanitarian response in Gaza a mere illusion." The existing system of humanitarian aid was described as "broken", due to the severe restrictions on aid and ongoing Israeli bombardments.

March 2024

Hanke Bruins Slot, the Dutch foreign minister, offered supply scanners to speed up the inspection of humanitarian aid. The World Food Programme reported, "We need entry points to northern Gaza that will allow us to deliver enough food for half a million people in desperate need". A report by Refugees International found that Egypt had intensified its oversight and regulation of humanitarian aid trucks in response to Israeli pressures to allow in refugees. The Gaza Interior Ministry organized an armed "People’s Protection Force" to replace the Gaza police that disbanded after targeted Israeli strikes. On 12 March, Morocco delivered 40 tons of aid from Ben Gurion airport to the Karem Abu Salem border crossing. The same day, the World Food Programme stated they had delivered food to northern Gaza for the first time in nearly a month. Mohamed Shusha, the northern Sinai regional governor, stated some 7,000 trucks were waiting to enter Gaza.

On 8 March, ''New Scientist'' reported that aid groups lacked long-term plans to address health needs in Gaza. Save the Children described issues with aid delivery, stating, "There’s so much rubble and destruction around that it is physically even hard... to deliver our supplies when they make it in". James Elder, a UNICEF representative, stated on 17 March that it was an "outrage" that so many humanitarian trucks were waiting to enter Gaza while people starved. On 19 March, the UN reported that less than half of its planned aid missions to northern Gaza had been allowed by Israel. In late-March, the EU's top diplomat Josep Borrell called on Israel to allow UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini to enter Gaza. On 22 March 2024, only 35 humanitarian aid trucks were allowed to enter into the Gaza Strip. On 25 March, Israel stated it would no longer work with UNRWA in Gaza.

During a raid on Al-Shifa Hospital, Israeli forces killed the security coordinator who had succeeded in the first delivery of trucks in northern Gaza in the two days prior. The killing "shattered the sense of safety" for other Palestinians working on coordinating humanitarian aid to northern Gaza. According to Israel, the coordinator was "coordinating military activities". Following the granting of an emergency request from South Africa, the International Criminal Court ordered Israel to provide more humanitarian aid into Gaza.

= Airdrops

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On 1 March 2024, the United States began airdrops of aid into Gaza, with a White House spokesperson stating it was exploring the option of a maritime corridor to begin humanitarian aid deliveries. Rik Peeperkorn, a WHO representative, stated, "The simplest, safest way and most effective way to deliver aid to people is through crossings. Not just Rafah. It should lsobe Kerem Shalom." Jeremy Konyndyk, the president of Refugees International, stated of the US airdrops: "This is not enough to make a meaningful dent in the humanitarian crisis... the Israeli military offensive has made it virtually impossible for normal humanitarian operations to exist in Gaza".

Dave Harden, a former USAID director, stated, "The airdrops are symbolic and designed in ways to appease the domestic base". The head of Medical Aid for Palestinians criticized the airdrop campaign, stating, "The US, the UK and others should ensure that Israel immediately opens all crossings into Gaza for aid". Oxfam stated it did not support the "ineffective" aid drops and called them a way "to relieve the guilty consciences of senior US officials". Al Jazeera English described the airdrops as an "absurd spectacle aimed more at the news cameras than the people who need it."

On 5 March, the Israeli army prevented fourteen World Food Program aid trucks from entering Northern Gaza. In the aftermath of the Flour massacre, however, the UN suggested that "Israel saw quite clearly how difficult it is to deliver assistance" and that it had "much more cooperation from Israel as a result of that realisation".

Civilians reported some of the airdropped meals were inedible without being microwaved, which was impossible since Gaza hasn't had electricity since the start of the war. Following an airdrop that killed five people, the Gaza Media Office stated, "Dropping aid in this way is flashy propaganda rather than a humanitarian service. We previously warned it poses a threat to the lives of citizens in the Gaza Strip, and this is what happened today when the parcels fell on the citizens’ heads."

= Temporary port

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On 7 March it was announced that the process of creating a port in Gaza to receive and assist in the disbursement of aid by the United States was being finalized. The port would reportedly take a number of weeks to set up, but would be able to receive large ships that would reportedly carry food, water, medicine and temporary shelters after the ships had been inspected by Israeli officials in Cyprus. David Cameron suggested the pier could take months to set up entirely. The US later suggested the pier would take up to two months to build.

The European Commission and its allies — including Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, the Republic of Cyprus, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States — announced their intentions to open a "maritime corridor to deliver much-needed additional amounts of humanitarian assistance by sea". In a pilot program, the Open Arms salvage vessel was sent to a small port in Gaza, with aid delivered by the World Central Kitchen. The US Secretary of State stated the maritime corridor was part of its plan to "flood the zone" with aid. On 15 March, the IDF stated that 12 trucks of humanitarian aid were distributed in northern Gaza.

A Save the Children director released a statement criticizing the timeline, stating, "Children in Gaza cannot wait to eat. They are already dying from malnutrition and saving their lives is a matter of hours or days – not weeks". The International Rescue Committee also criticized the pier and called on the US to push Israel to lifts its siege and open the Al-Muntar and Beit Hanoon land crossings. In a statement, Medical Aid for Palestinians said, "Airdrops, temporary seaports and the like are not realistic or lasting solutions to stave off looming famine and sustain life in Gaza". Avril Benoit, the executive director of Doctors Without Borders, stated the pier was a "glaring distraction from the real problem: Israel’s indiscriminate and disproportionate military campaign and punishing siege". Sigrid Kaag and the director of the UN Office for Project Services stated, "For aid delivery at scale, there is no meaningful substitute to the many land routes and entry points from Israel into Gaza."

In April, as US troops began construction of the port, a mortar attack was struck near where it would connect with Gaza. No group claimed responsibility, but Hamas had previously stated they will "resist any foreign military presence involved with the port project".

April 2024

In early April 2024, following the World Central Kitchen drone strikes, the Israeli war cabinet announced that they would allow more aid into Gaza, including the opening of the Erez border crossing. Israel was expected to allow 300-350 aid trucks into Gaza daily, though this is still less than the pre-war amount of 500-600. In a report published by the IDF in April 2024, it was reported that Israel had allowed the entry of 19,776 trucks of humanitarian aid into Gaza through the Kerem Shalom and Nitsana boarder crossings. The trucks reportedly brought in 369,990 tons of aid, coupled with reportedly at least 50 air drops of about 3,000 packages and six field hospitals created.

On 10 April, Israel claimed to allow 419 trucks into Gaza, the highest number so far. It also claimed 468 trucks going in the next day. This was disputed by the UN, UNRWA, UNOCHA, and Red Crescent. UNOCHA said that when COGAT screens trucks, they are typically half-full and get filled on the other side. It alleges that Israel inflates the number of aid trucks through this technicality.

The ''Financial Times'', meanwhile, reported that "just a trickle of humanitarian aid can enter or be distributed in Gaza each day". On 16 April, a senior UNOCHA official stated that in the prior week, "41 per cent of humanitarian requests to the north were denied". The UN stated that since the beginning of April, an average of 181 trucks had entered Gaza each day. The Canadian Minister of International Development requested information from the Israeli government after the International Development and Relief Foundation stated its water truck had been destroyed in a "targeted" attack.

May 2024

The Ere crossing was re-opened on 1 May. Israel said the target number of aid trucks daily was 500. The U.S. alleged that Hamas briefly seized the first aid shipment that came through. Israeli settlers attacked a Jordanian aid shipment. The U.S. stated it was nearing completion of its temporary floating pier.

Issues with delivery

On 27 October, Lynn Hastings, the UN's humanitarian coordinator for Palestine, stated Israel opposed the delivery of humanitarian aid to northern Gaza. As a result, UN staff would need to risk their own lives if it was determined such aid would be "lifesaving" to people in need. Philippe Lazzarini stated "soon many more will die" from Israel's blockade.

The United Nations announced a communications blackout had brought aid delivery to a "complete halt." On 29 October, a humanitarian zone was announced in the Khan Younis area, along with a claim that aid trucks would increase "significantly." On 30 October, OCHA director Lisa Doughten pressured the UN Security Council for the use of extra entry points to Gaza, suggesting the Kerem Shalom border crossing as the only entry equipped for rapidly processing a sufficiently large number of trucks. On 13 November, the United Nations announced it no longer had enough fuel to deliver humanitarian aid in Gaza, leading Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly funding until at least March 2025, the head of the UN organization stated, "As the backbone of the humanitarian response, any gap in funding to UNRWA will compromise access to food, shelter, primary health care & education". The UN and other aid agencies stated visa delays were part of restrictions on humanitarian aid.

Israeli blocking of aid

Before being allowed entry into Gaza the humanitarian aid trucks are put through a stringent list of rules and regulations based on Israeli inspectors. The US president and chief executive of Save the Children, Janti Soeripto explained the convoluted regulations to reporters causing items to be turned back, like sanitary pads due to a nail clipper included in the hygiene kit, or sleeping bags because they had zippers. A humanitarian official in contact with the Israeli COGAT unit has raised claims that the rejections are due to the unit operating with only an obsolete list from 2008 and a lack of official guidance. Others, such as the European Union's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, have accused Israel of intentionally using starvation as a weapon of war. Israel also does not allow humanitarian aid bound for Gaza to be purchased in Israel or the West Bank, or to use Israel ports. It has also closed all but one of the Israel-Gaza checkpoints. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry stated that "Israeli obstacles" were impeding the delivery of humanitarian aid. The World Health Organization stated their "requests to deliver supplies are often blocked or refused" by Israel. Antonio Guterres, the UN secretary-general, stated that alleviating conditions in Gaza "requires Israel removing the remaining obstacles and chokepoints to relief".

An investigation found that Israel was blocking cancer medications, sleeping bags, drinking water purification tablets, and maternity kits from entering Gaza, leading the Save the Children US president to state she had "never seen anything like the level of barriers being put in place to hamper humanitarian assistance". MP Rosena Allin-Khan stated that Israel had prevented water filters from entering Gaza, asking rhetorically: "What threat does a water filter, supplied by the UK government, have?" The UN reported Israel had rejected aid trucks for carrying medical scissors. On 6 March, Israel continued to block a major US shipment of flour from entering Gaza, after having already blocked it from entering for 46 days. On 7 March 2024, Israeli police blocked an aid convoy organized by the Jewish-Arab cooperation group Standing Together.

The president of the American Near East Refugee Aid stated, "Some governments—not just the US but others as well—who thought that they would make more headway with the Israelis on land aid threw up their hands and said, 'Well, let’s do airdrops.'" In an interview with the ''New Yorker'', US Senator Chris Van Hollen stated, "Administration officials have recognized that the Netanyahu government has put up unacceptable barriers to the delivery of humanitarian assistance into Gaza". Catherine Russell, the chair of UNICEF described Israel's bureaucratic approval system as Kafkaesque. In response to Israel stating it would no longer allow UNRWA to deliver aid to northern Gaza, Martin Griffiths stated, "The decision to block its food convoys to the north only pushes thousands closer to famine. It must be revoked." The EU's Josep Borrell stated, "Enough food for the people starving in Gaza is stockpiled and waiting to enter through land routes".

Gisha, an Israeli human rights organization, stated Israel was blocking dual-use items and that it had petitioned the Israeli Supreme Court to order Israel to meets its obligations to civilians in Gaza. In April 2024, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition stated a scheduled aid trip to Gaza had been delayed by an administrative roadblock "initiated by Israel in an attempt to prevent our departure." A USAID internal assessment reportedly found Israel "does not currently demonstrate necessary compliance" with a requirement that countries not impede "the transport of delivery of United States humanitarian assistance".

Israeli protests against aid

On 21 December 2023, Israeli activists attempted to block the Kerem Shalom crossing to prevent humanitarian aid from entering the Gaza Strip. On 9 January, captives' families were stopped by police trying to block humanitarian aid. On 19 January, families of captives promised "extreme actions", including blocking humanitarian aid. Hundreds protested against the entry of humanitarian aid at the Kerem Shalom crossing on 24 January 2024. Protesters again blocked aid on 25 and 26 January. On 28 January, the IDF declared the Karem Abu Salem crossing a "closed military area". Four settlers were arrested for tear-gassing and throwing rocks at aid delivery truck drivers. Protesters again blocked aid on 30 January. On 30 January, Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot stated they were examining limiting humanitarian aid into Gaza. On 31 January, National Security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called on Netanyahu to cease sending aid to Gaza.

30 were arrested protesting against aid for Gaza on 31 January. On 1 February, protests blocked aid trucks from leaving the Port of Ashdod. On 2 February, protesters blocked the Nitzana Border Crossing. On 6 February, Channel 12 reported that 132 aid trucks had been prevented from entering the Karem Abu Salem crossing. On 7 February, Israelis set up tents at the Karem Abu Salem to block aid from entering Gaza. Protesters blocked aid at the Nitzana border crossing on 9 February. Protesters blocked the Karem Abu Salem crossing on 12 February. On 14 February, an individual blocking humanitarian aid from entering Gaza stated, "We cannot give them good foods". UNOCHA reported that only twenty trucks of aid entered Gaza on 17 February. Aid was again blocked on 19 February. By 19 February, humanitarian aid entering Gaza had experienced a "clear decline" since the start of the month.

Allegations against Hamas

When asked about Hamas's responsibility for the safety of civilians, Hamas leader Mousa Abu Marzook allegedly replied that "it is the responsibility of the United Nations to protect them... ndit is the responsibility of the occupation to provide them with... services". On 28 October, ''The New York Times'' reported that Hamas had stockpiled food, water, medicine and sanitary products in underground caches, in amounts that would allow it to continue fighting for several months without resupply. On 12 November, '' Kan 11'' aired a video taken by a Gazan civilian, that appeared to show Hamas policemen beating civilians approaching a truck carrying humanitarian aid for food, before allegedly taking the supplies for themselves. According to ''The Algemeiner'', an unnamed "Fatah TV anchor" claimed that Hamas killed humanitarian aid workers to "prevent any activity by any therparty" and "ensure Hamas control over the aid". Israel has also stated Hamas has stolen aid. However, US officials said they do not have evidence to support Israel's claims.

Casualties

Killing of aid workers

From 7 October to 17 December 2023, 135 United Nations relief workers were killed in the Gaza Strip, making it the deadliest conflict for UN workers in world history. According to Jeremy Konyndyk, the president of Refugees International, "The U.S. concern about these casualties remains almost purely rhetorical. There is no policy leverage being put behind it whatsoever. Beyond expressing concern and expressing regret, that’s where it stops." By March 2024, at least 165 United Nations staff had been killed in Gaza since 7 October and more than 150 facilities attacked.

David M. Satterfield criticized Israel killing police guarding truck convoys, stating it had made the safe distribution of aid "virtually impossible". A Norwegian Refugee Council representative stated on 20 February that Israel's targeting of aid convoys and police was "unacceptable". Following the death of one of their aid workers — the fifth American aid worker killed in Gaza — the American Near East Refugee Aid released a statement: "We demand an independent investigation into his death, which threatens our team’s ability to function safely and deliver aid to civilians facing starvation".

In March 2024, Israel bombed a United Nations food distribution center, killing one UN staff member and wounding 22 others. It was one of the UN's last remaining distribution centers, leading UN humanitarian aid chief Martin Griffiths to state the UN's aid teams "must be protected". Stephane Dujarric, the UN Secretary-General's spokesman, stated, "It’s another tragic symbol of the conditions under which our humanitarian colleagues work every day in Gaza." The next day, Israel reportedly killed 8 people in an attack on an aid warehouse in Nuseirat refugee camp. On 15 March 2024, Gaza government officials stated that 56 people had been killed in Israeli attacks on aid distribution centers in just the prior 48 hours. On 18 March, the Gaza Media Office stated Israel assassinated the official in charge of coordinating humanitarian aid to northern Gaza.

On 19 March, at least 23 people were killed when Israeli fighter jets targeted a group of humanitarian aid coordinators at the Kuwaiti roundabout. Earlier the same day, an Israeli airstrike killed the police director in charge of facilitating humanitarian aid trucks in northern Gaza. The Gaza Media Office stated on 20 March that more than 100 aid workers had been killed in the prior seven days. The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated, "Some of them, with decades of experience, said they have never encountered a situation as difficult as this. Aid workers need resources, access and safety – now." On 29 March, an Israeli attack reportedly killed a Palestinian police force that helped bring aid to northern Gaza. The UN criticized the attack, stating, "Such killings must stop. Effective aid delivery to those most in need requires civil order".

On 2 April, the IDF bombed World Central Kitchen staff. The drone strikes killed seven humanitarian aid workers. According to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the strikes brought the total number of aid workers killed since 7 October to 196 people. The president of Refugees International called the killings "part of a clear pattern" and a war crime. Doctors Without Borders stated the killings were an example of how "international humanitarian law is not respected". The Polish Foreign Ministry stated, "Poland objects to the disregard for international humanitarian law". Doctors Without Borders secretary-general Christopher Lockyear stated, "This pattern of attacks is either intentional or indicative of reckless incompetence."

Killing of aid seekers

On 8 March, five were killed when they were struck by airdropped aid after its parachute failed to open. A witness stated, "The parachute didn't open and fell down like a rocket on the roof of one of the houses". Stephane Dujarric called it a "tragic accident". On 9 March, a second airdrop wounded aid seekers who were taken to al-Shifa Hospital.

It was reported that on 14 March by Gaza's health ministry that at least 20 people were killed and 155 wounded by Israeli shelling when they were queued to wait for humanitarian aid to be disbursed in Kuwait Square. The IDF denied IDF forces fired upon aid seekers and that "armed Palestinians" did. On 26 March, the Gaza government media office stated that 12 people had drowned attempting to retrieve aid parcels dropped in the sea. Verified footage on 31 March showed a dead body entangled in an aid package parachute.

Reactions

Israeli

In a January 2024 press conference, Netanyahu boasted that Israel had only provided minimal aid stating; "We provide minimal humanitarian aid,...If we want to achieve our war goals, we give the minimal aid.” On 23 February it was reported that over two-thirds of Jewish Israeli's opposed the movement of humanitarian aid into Gaza through a survey by the Israeli Democracy Institute. The survey also offered the option of allowing humanitarian aid into Gaza via international bodies that are proven to be unlinked to Hamas or UNRWA ( after Israeli allegations) and a majority of Jewish Israelis still opposed humanitarian aid.

The confusion about what humanitarian aid is being allowed into Gaza and what is being rejected, has prompted the Israeli rights group GISHA to file a Freedom of Information Act request in February 2024. The request is for the Israeli government to release details of any new restrictions on aid since the 7 October attacks. The Israeli Welfare Ministry paused visa renewals to humanitarian aid workers in February 2024, stating it couldn't investigate applicants' potential ties to armed groups.

Palestinian

In response to news that the United States was building a temporary port to receive humanitarian aid on the Gaza coast, a displaced Palestinian told Al Jazeera English: "All these American weapons are killing our kids and killing us wherever we go. We don’t need aid from them. We need them to stop the killing, stop the death." A director at the Gaza European Hospital stated it was more important to focus on "lifting the siege on the Gaza Strip and opening the crossings". In March 2024, Gaza officials criticized campaigns for humanitarian aid airdrops as "flashy propaganda rather than a humanitarian service".

Academics

Mohamed Elmasry, an analyst at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, stated of the US beginning airdrops: "They want to be able to be able to say: We told Israel not enough aid was going in and we even did these air drops – so we weren’t complicit in this genocide". Rami Khouri, a journalist and professor at the American University of Beirut, criticized the United States' plan to build a port in Gaza, stating, "I’m just waiting for the day the Israelis come and bomb the port because they’ve bombed everything else that the EU and other donors have funded in the occupied territories." Marc Owen Jones, a professor at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, stated that Biden's announcement of a pier in Gaza was "propaganda". Saul Takahashi, a professor at Osaka Jogakuin University, stated if the US or EU cared about Palestinians, "They would not pretend like they are Hollywood action heroes airlifting supplies into Berlin, but they would stop the endless flow of weapons to Israel".

Mohammed al-Masri, a researcher at the Palestinian Center for Research and Strategic Studies, asked, "Who will provide security to the humanitarian aid being sent to the port, and who will carry out the actual distribution? Who will manage this large relief operation?" Mohammed al-Masri, a researcher at the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies, stated, "If the US was serious, it would have pressured Israel into opening the land crossings and allowing aid and relief in." In late-March 2024, professor Marc Owen Jones stated, "Biden is breaking, or at least not enforcing, the Leahy Laws".

Journalists

Imran Khan, an Al Jazeera English journalist, wrote about the US plan for a new port: "There is a much more efficient way of doing it as it was going on for 20 years before October 7 – the land crossings into the Gaza Strip." The editorial board of the ''Financial Times'' wrote in early-March 2024, "More than any other issue, the lack of aid illustrates the impotence of the US and its western allies... As the occupying force, it is Israel’s responsibility to ensure there is sufficient food for the hungry."

International

During a call with Netanyahu on 15 February 2024, UK prime minister Rishi Sunak "highlighted the scale of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and urged Israel to fully open the Kerem Shalom crossing and allow the maritime delivery of international aid through Ashdod port". On 18 February, the UK Prime Minister and the European Commission President stated "significantly more aid" was needed in Gaza. On 20 February, William, Prince of Wales stated, "There is a desperate need for increased humanitarian support to Gaza. It’s critical that aid gets in". During a trip by Benny Gantz to the UK, foreign minister David Cameron stated that Israel needed to change the amount of aid entering the Gaza Strip. Cameron told reporters that to avoid famine and a continued spread of diseases at least 500 trucks a day were needed in Gaza.

On 28 February, a spokesman for Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "We have not seen any real pressure from the international community to allow full and unconditional entry of aid. Aid should be freely provided without restrictions." King Abdullah stated that humanitarian aid to Gaza needed to be doubled. Kamala Harris stated, "People in Gaza are starving... The Israeli government must do more to significantly increase the flow of aid. No excuses". In a call, the US Secretary of Defense told the Israeli Defense Minister there was an "urgent need" to surge humanitarian aid throughout Gaza. During the 2024 State of the Union Address, the US president stated, "Humanitarian assistance cannot be a secondary consideration or a bargaining chip. Protecting and saving innocent lives has to be a priority". On 13 March, the EU and five other countries called on Israel to open more land crossings into Gaza.

The Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide stated, "Israel must ensure increased access of vital food supplies and aid into and within Gaza". New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters called on Israel to take "all necessary and effective steps to ensure, without delay, the unhindered provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance."
Following the killing of World Central Kitchen workers, U.S. president Joe Biden stated, "Israel has not done enough to protect aid workers". In a call with Netanyahu, Rishi Sunak stated, "Far too many aid workers and ordinary civilians have lost their lives in Gaza and the situation is increasingly intolerable". U.S. Senator Tim Kaine stated, "The amount of aid allowed by Israel to enter Gaza has been painfully slow and dramatically inadequate".

On 11 December, 6 major humanitarian organizations presidents —including: CARE USA, Mercy Corps, the Norwegian Refugee Council, Oxfam America, Refugees International, and Save the Children — penned a joint op-ed in ''The New York Times'' in which it says, "We have seen nothing like the siege of Gaza".

Freedom House

Freedom House issued a cautionary statement, highlighting the escalating severity of the humanitarian crisis, and urged the Israeli government to adhere to international humanitarian law.

EU's humanitarian aid

The EU's humanitarian aid chief Janez Lenarcic called on Israel to open its land crossings. In a joint statement, Lenarcic and Josep Borrell called the situation "beyond catastrophic" and called on Israel to open its land crossings in order to "secure impactful food assistance for the entire population of Gaza, the provision of specialised medical aid to address malnutrition and the implementation of public health measures". In a statement, the World Bank said, "We join the international community in calling for immediate, free, and unimpeded access of medical supplies, food and life-essential services" to Gaza."

Doctors Without Borders

According to a Doctors Without Borders video shared by Amnesty International head Agnès Callamard: "This brutal annihilation of an entire population health system stretches beyond what humanitarian aid can fix." On 4 December, Red Cross president Mirjana Spoljaric Egger visited the Gaza Strip, stating, "The things I saw there are beyond anything that anybody must be in a position in order to describe."

Humanitarian organizations

On 26 February, UNRWA stated that the failure to deliver more humanitarian aid into Gaza was a "man-made disaster" caused by Israel's "security constraints and temporary closures at both crossings". Antonio Guterres stated a Rafah offensive would be the "final nail in the coffin" of its aid programmes. The spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Jeremy Laurence, stated, "Border crossings must be fully opened and the necessary steps must be taken to ensure the free and safe movement of aid convoys to civilians wherever they are".

Sigrid Kaag stated that Israel was not opening land border crossing due to "domestic sensitivities". James McGoldrick, a top UN official, stated aid wasn't entering Gaza because "Israel decided that politically and militarily they wanted to do it, and more important, they could do it, and they’ve gone ahead and done it." Tor Wennesland described the opening of the international maritime corridor as a response to "deep frustration in the international community that we can’t get in sufficient supplies". Jeremy Konyndyk, the president of Refugees International, responded to international humanitarian airdrops, stating, "Facilitating airdrops – and driving media coverage around them – gives the public appearance that Israel is cooperating with humanitarian efforts. The fact that they need be considered is a major policy failure". In a report, Refugees International further found that Israel had "consistently and groundlessly" blocked humanitarian aid from entering Gaza.

The deputy director of Humanity & Inclusion stated that he was stunned by the conditions in Gaza — the worst he had ever seen in his life — stating that he had never seen such a " bombardment of an extremely densely populated and closed-off area, and a near-complete lack of access for humanitarian aid". In March 2024, Doctors Without Borders stated, "The food, water, and medical supplies so desperately needed by people in Gaza are sitting just across the border. Israel needs to facilitate rather than block the flow of supplies." A group of Israel's twelve most prominent human rights organizations stated Israel was failing to comply with the International Court of Justice's interim ruling to facilitate humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Agnès Callamard, the head of Amnesty International, stated, "Airdrops, the construction of a port are a sign of powerlessness and weakness on the part of the international community". A group of 25 humanitarian organizations issued a joint statement, saying, "States cannot hide behind airdrops and efforts to open a maritime corridor to create the illusion that they are doing enough to support the needs in Gaza. Their primary responsibility is to prevent atrocity crimes from unfolding". A Refugees International report found that the Israeli blocking of aid was creating "apocalyptic" famine-like conditions. The president of the International Rescue Committee stated airdrops were "unsafe, ineffective and dehumanizing".

See also

* Gaza Strip famine

Notes

References

{{Israel–Hamas war
Gaza Strip humanitarian crisis
Reactions to the Israel–Hamas war
Humanitarian aid