Growing Hunger Crisis in Gaza as Aid Convoys Denied Entry
The isolated north of Gaza is facing a growing hunger crisis as aid convoys are increasingly being denied permits to enter the area. Residents have reported that children are going without food for days, and even stocks of animal feed, which some have resorted to grinding into flour, are now running out. The situation has become so dire that people are digging into the soil to access water pipes for drinking and washing. The UN has warned that acute malnutrition among young children in the north has risen sharply, surpassing the critical threshold of 15%. Aid missions to the north of Gaza have been denied access, with more than half of them being blocked last month. The Israeli military has denied claims of starvation in Gaza but has faced criticism for interfering with aid delivery.
People living in Gaza City and Beit Lahia have shared their experiences of the worsening crisis. Mahmoud Shalabi, a local medical aid worker in Beit Lahia, explained that even basic food items like rice were becoming scarce. Tinned food stocks were also disappearing. The World Food Programme (WFP) has revealed that four out of the last five aid convoys into the north were stopped by Israeli forces, resulting in a two-week gap between deliveries to Gaza City. Matt Hollingworth, the WFP regional chief, emphasized the serious risk of famine in Gaza if significant volumes of food assistance are not provided regularly.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) has reported a sharp increase in the number of aid missions denied access to northern Gaza, with 56% of deliveries being blocked in January compared to 14% in the previous months. The Israeli military has imposed restrictions on the volume of assistance and at times required justifications for quantities of fuel destined for health facilities. Families in northern areas are also struggling to find reliable water supplies, resorting to drinking unpotable water and digging for water.
The destruction caused by the war has further exacerbated the hunger crisis in Gaza. More than half of the agricultural land in the central region of Deir al-Balah has been damaged, including an olive press and farmland. Bassem Younis Abu Zayed, a farmer, described the aftermath as resembling an earthquake, with vast destruction and a loss of 80-90% of olives. In the border town of Rafah, over a million people displaced by the fighting are now crowded alongside the town’s residents, leading to a lack of shelter, sanitation, and medical care.
Aid delivery to Gaza is complicated by various factors, including fighting, bureaucracy, and rubble. While some aid missions have been successful in reaching southern areas of Gaza, residents and aid agencies report that many people are still going hungry, and a public health crisis is looming. The desperation of Gaza’s people further complicates the situation, as negotiations become difficult due to crowds of hungry individuals. The only way to alleviate the crisis is seen as a deal between Israel and Hamas. As Israel continues to bomb Rafah, leaders on both sides are under pressure to end the suffering of people trapped in Gaza.
The hunger crisis in Gaza is reaching a critical point, with aid convoys being denied entry and residents facing severe food shortages. The situation is worsened by the destruction caused by the war, which has devastated agricultural land and displaced a significant number of people. Urgent action is needed to address the growing risk of famine and ensure that essential aid reaches those in need.
