Israeli Military Offensive Escalates Humanitarian Emergency in Southern Gaza
As the Israeli military offensive continues in Gaza, humanitarian groups depict a grim reality of ‘apocalyptic’ conditions in the southern region. Families are left wandering the streets in search of food, rationing dirty water, and grappling with soaring prices of essential goods.
Twelve-year-old Do’a Atef’s plight illustrates the harsh conditions faced by many in southern Gaza. Displaced from her home in Beit Lahia, she, along with her family, now sleeps in tents, struggling for basic necessities. Do’a shares that they resort to drinking dirty water, lack proper shelter, and face critical shortages of food, diapers, and milk for her baby brother.
The ongoing conflict has forced an estimated 1.9 million Palestinians into shrinking “humanitarian zones,” primarily in southern Gaza, exacerbating the shortage of food and water. Humanitarian aid groups emphasize the challenges they face in delivering assistance due to the intensity of hostilities.
Families and children in Gaza wander the streets, unable to find food, with long lines for clean water and some resorting to collecting rainwater. Supermarkets are empty, and bakeries face rushes early in the morning, resulting in uncertainty about securing essential items.
The cost of a 25-kilogram (55-pound) bag of flour has surged to up to $100, a drastic increase from around $15 before the conflict. Palestinian humanitarian worker Najla Shawa highlights the severity of rising prices, stating it is “beyond any capacity,” affecting not only basic necessities but also containers used for water collection.
The dangerous journey to obtain essential items adds to the difficulties faced by the residents. Shawa notes that people are struggling with a shortage of water, trying to survive on minimal consumption.
University student Hazem Zareefa, sheltering in Khan Yunis, describes walking miles in search of bread or packaged food, losing weight due to hunger.
Representatives from international humanitarian groups describe dire conditions, with Save the Children emphasizing the imminent threat of hunger and disease. Action Against Hunger notes an increase in diseases due to water and sanitation issues.
During a temporary ceasefire, the World Food Programme conducted a rapid food assessment, describing the situation in Gaza as “alarming.” Deputy Executive Director Carl Skaau highlights the dire conditions, emphasizing the use of hunger as a weapon of war and collective punishment.
Oxfam, in a press call, describes the situation in Gaza as “untenable” and points to war crimes, including the use of hunger as a weapon. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warns of a high risk of the humanitarian system in Gaza collapsing.
Despite humanitarian aid entering the region, it falls short of the immense need. The intensity of hostilities restricts aid distribution, leaving many in Gaza frustrated and desperate for essential supplies. The indiscriminate bombing by Israel further complicates the delivery of much-needed relief, aggravating the humanitarian crisis in southern Gaza.
