More than 100 humanitarian organizations have called on Israel to end its systematic obstruction of lifesaving aid to Palestinians in Gaza.

Despite official claims that humanitarian shipments are unrestricted, major international NGOs report that they have been unable to deliver a single truck of vital supplies since 2 March, leaving millions of dollars’ worth of food, medicine, and water stranded while Palestinians continue to face starvation and preventable deaths.

The obstruction stems from a combination of bureaucratic measures and militarized aid schemes. Under new INGO registration rules introduced in March, organizations can be denied entry into Gaza based on vague and politicized criteria, including alleged “delegitimization” of Israel. These requirements include submitting sensitive personal data about staff, including Palestinian employees, putting both personnel and beneficiaries at risk. Some organizations have been given as little as seven days to comply with these demands.

Humanitarian organizations are warning that the current restrictions are unlawful, unsafe, and violate fundamental humanitarian principles. Groups like Anera, CARE, and Oxfam have millions of dollars’ worth of aid stranded at Israeli ports.

Anera has $7 million in supplies—including 744 tons of rice, enough to provide six million meals—held up at Ashdod port. CARE reports that $1.5 million worth of critical food, medical, and hygiene items have yet to be delivered. Oxfam similarly has $2.5 million in food, WASH, and hygiene supplies blocked from reaching those in need.

“The full siege imposed on 2 March has prevented civilians from receiving the food, medicine, and protection they urgently need,” said Jolien Veldwijk, CARE’s Country Director. “These measures leave hospitals without basic supplies, children and vulnerable people dying from hunger, and aid workers forced to work without sustenance themselves.”

The Israeli authorities have also introduced the so-called “GHF” militarized distribution scheme, presented as a humanitarian mechanism, but in reality, a deadly tool of control. According to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), at least 859 Palestinians have been killed at or around GHF sites, which have become sites of violence while civilians seek aid.

Humanitarian leaders warn that both the INGO registration process and the GHF scheme are part of a broader strategy to consolidate control over Gaza, exclude Palestinian actors, and replace independent aid organizations with mechanisms that serve military and political objectives.

Sean Carroll, President and CEO of Anera, condemned the strategy: “To save lives, save humanity, and prevent complicity in engineered mass starvation, all borders must be opened unconditionally to the thousands of trucks, millions of meals, and medical supplies ready and waiting nearby.”

The organizations are calling on all states and donors to take urgent action by pressuring Israel to stop the weaponization of aid, including removing bureaucratic obstacles; ensuring that international NGOs are not compelled to share sensitive staff information that could jeopardize their safety or independence; and demanding the immediate and unconditional opening of all crossings to allow the delivery of lifesaving humanitarian assistance.

The call comes amid escalating Israeli military operations and a deepening siege, which continue to devastate Gaza’s civilian population, leaving millions without essential food, water, and medical care. (ILKHA)