The United Nations has issued a stark warning against Israel’s continued obstruction of humanitarian aid convoys to the Gaza Strip, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis that has left millions on the brink of survival.

During a press conference at UN headquarters in New York, Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, reiterated concerns over Israel’s systematic restrictions, which are severely hampering life-saving operations in the war-torn region.

According to Dujarric, staff from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that Israel blocked or rejected all 15 humanitarian aid missions requiring coordination on Sunday. Eight missions were outright rejected, while the remaining seven were obstructed, preventing critical supplies such as food, water, and medical aid from reaching desperate civilians. “This deliberate obstruction is choking the flow of life-saving assistance to a population already ravaged by conflict and deprivation,” Dujarric stated, emphasizing the catastrophic impact on Gaza’s 2.1 million residents.

The UN’s warning comes amid a deepening humanitarian disaster in Gaza, where relentless Israeli airstrikes and a prolonged blockade have pushed the region into famine-like conditions. Since the collapse of a fragile ceasefire in mid-March 2025, over 800,000 Palestinians have been forcibly displaced, adding to the nearly 2 million already uprooted since the onset of the war in October 2023. The UN has confirmed famine across parts of Gaza, with one in three residents going without food for days at a time, according to a recent report by the UN’s World Food Programme. Malnutrition clinics are overwhelmed, and children are dying from hunger-related causes at an alarming rate, with Gaza’s Health Ministry reporting at least 258 deaths from starvation since the war began, over half in the past month alone.

Israeli military operations, including attacks on health facilities, have further crippled Gaza’s infrastructure. Hospitals are on the verge of collapse, with severe shortages of fuel, medical supplies, and clean water, while over 75% of households report declining access to water in the past month. The UN Human Rights Chief, Volker Türk, recently described Gaza as a “dystopian landscape of deadly attacks and total destruction,” warning that Israel’s actions risk inflicting conditions “incompatible with the continued existence” of Palestinians in the region.

Aid organizations have decried Israel’s tactics, accusing the government of using bureaucratic obstacles and militarized restrictions to stifle humanitarian efforts. A recent Haaretz report highlighted Israel’s stringent registration requirements for international NGOs, which demand sensitive staff information, raising fears for the safety of Palestinian aid workers. “These are not mere logistical hurdles; they are deliberate policies designed to block aid and prolong suffering,” said Bushra Khalidi, Oxfam’s policy lead for the occupied Palestinian territories.

The UN and over 200 aid organizations have rejected Israel’s proposals to replace the UN-led aid distribution system with a militarized alternative run by private contractors, warning that such plans violate humanitarian principles and endanger civilians by forcing them into dangerous zones to access aid. UNRWA, the largest aid provider in Gaza, reported that over 3,000 trucks loaded with food and medicine are stuck just outside the Strip, with enough supplies to sustain the population for three months if allowed entry. “The gates must reopen, the siege must be lifted,” urged UNRWA’s Director of Communications, Juliette Touma.

International outrage is mounting, with leaders from the UK, France, and Canada calling Israel’s limited aid measures “wholly inadequate” and a breach of international humanitarian law. The UN has reiterated its call for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and unimpeded humanitarian access to avert further catastrophe. “This is a man-made famine, a result of systematic obstruction and indifference,” Dujarric emphasized, echoing UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ demand for urgent action to save lives.

As Gaza’s children waste away and families face starvation, the international community is urged to hold Israel accountable for its obligations as an occupying power under the Fourth Geneva Convention to ensure the civilian population’s access to food, water, and medical care. Without immediate intervention, aid workers warn, the death toll from hunger and deprivation could climb into the tens of thousands, marking an unprecedented humanitarian failure.

The people of Gaza cannot wait any longer. The UN’s plea is clear: end the blockade, open all crossings, and allow aid to flow freely to save lives before it’s too late. (ILKHA)