Israel has blocked 83% of food aid from reaching the besieged Gaza Strip, nearly a year into its ongoing conflict with the Palestinians, according to a press release issued by 16 United Nations humanitarian relief organizations.

The statement highlights a sharp increase from 2023 when 34% of aid was blocked. The situation has worsened, with Gaza residents now receiving only one meal every other day, down from two meals per day, due to the severe shortages.

The UN agencies, including Save the Children, Oxfam, and the Danish Refugee Council, warned that around 50,000 children aged 6 to 59 months are at risk of malnutrition and will urgently require treatment by the end of the year.

Delays in aid coordination have further exacerbated the crisis. Between September 1-15, only 37 out of 94 humanitarian missions were able to be carried out in northern Gaza, while just half of the 243 missions planned for southern Gaza were implemented.

The statement condemned the ongoing blockade and emphasized the importance of providing aid to alleviate the humanitarian catastrophe, as the conflict and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza have now stretched into its 348th day, with daily civilian casualties. (ILKHA)