GazaHerald – The humanitarian lifeline in Gaza is crumbling under the weight of Israel’s war and blockade, leaving aid workers overwhelmed and civilians increasingly abandoned to famine, disease, and displacement.
Amjad Shawa, director of the Palestinian NGOs Network in Gaza City, described the situation as desperate. “We are trying to do our best, we are… part of this social fabric,” he said.
“We are linked to the people here, and we are staying with them while Israel threatens to apply its plans to evacuate Gaza City and destroy the rest of Gaza forcibly. There are 1.1 million people here, most of them elderly, women, children, and people with disabilities.”
Despite shrinking resources, Shawa said aid workers are still attempting to provide support. “We continue to deliver some services through our medical points; through the community kitchens, for which we have a very limited number of meals that we can provide; through our mental health support for children and women; education points for children; to be on the sides of people who are displaced; and to work with people with disabilities,” he explained. But the efforts, he admitted, are nowhere near enough.
“The humanitarian system is collapsing,” he warned, citing Israeli attacks on aid workers and facilities, as well as severe restrictions on the entry of humanitarian supplies.
UN: Attacks on Aid Workers Fueling Famine
Similar to Shawa’s worries, the UN Human Rights Office for the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OHCHR) called on Israel to immediately cease its attacks on Palestinians attempting to protect aid convoys and vital supplies.
“These attacks have significantly contributed to the spread of famine among civilians in Gaza,” the office said in a statement, noting that it had documented 11 separate incidents targeting aid workers and aid seekers in northern and central Gaza since early August.
These attacks have killed at least 46 Palestinians, the majority of whom were aid workers, and injured numerous others. The UN office said the pattern suggested “deliberate targeting by Israeli forces of those presumed to be civilians involved in securing vital necessities.”
The UN also highlighted dozens of attacks on civilian police officers who were not engaged in hostilities, saying Israel’s targeting of them had further contributed to the collapse of public order around supply convoys.
This breakdown has intensified chaos and desperation, making food distribution even more dangerous and irregular.
“These attacks are exacerbating the chaos and increasing hunger among Palestinians,” the office warned, stressing that Israel, as the occupying power, is legally obliged under international humanitarian law to ensure the protection and welfare of the civilian population. Targeting police and aid workers, it added, is a “direct violation” of these obligations.
