Gaza Herald – Israeli authorities announced Saturday evening the full closure of crossings into the Gaza Strip, including the critical Rafah crossing, until further notice. In the occupied West Bank, only “essential workers with permits” were allowed passage through Eliyahu, Tarkumiya, and Qalandiya checkpoints.
The shutdown came amid a broader escalation in regional hostilities, following a major Israeli-U.S. operation targeting Iran that left hundreds killed and prompted retaliatory strikes on Israeli and U.S. bases in Arab countries.
Humanitarian agencies, including the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), had previously warned that Gaza’s population of over two million faces catastrophic conditions. Restrictions on aid entry have already left critical needs unmet, with food, fuel, and medical supplies insufficient for the enclave’s survival.
Since the outbreak of the latest genocide, UNRWA and other agencies struggled to deliver aid due to Israeli-imposed barriers, including limits on trucks and material movement. Fuel, medical equipment, and other essential supplies were repeatedly blocked, intensifying civilian suffering.
UN assessments indicate that more than 75% of Gaza’s infrastructure was destroyed, with mass displacement affecting most civilians at least once during the genocide.
The closure of crossings compounds an already dire humanitarian emergency, leaving tens of thousands of civilians exposed to extreme shortages of food, medicine, and basic services.
