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Palestine

Famine risk increases as Israel makes Gaza aid response virtually impossible

Two-thirds of population now squeezed into less than a fifth of the Gaza Strip.

Israel’s relentless air and land bombardment and deliberate obstruction of the humanitarian response is making it virtually impossible for aid agencies to reach trapped, starved civilians in Gaza, Oxfam said today, as the latest ceasefire deal negotiations continue.
A lethal combination of closed border crossings, ongoing airstrikes, reduced logistical capacity due to evacuation notices and a failing Israeli permission process that debilitates humanitarian movement within Gaza, have created an impossible environment for aid agencies to operate effectively. With the Rafah Crossing closed since 6 May, Kerem Shalom is the only crossing that thousands of humanitarian aid trucks queued at Rafah could be re-routed to use, but inside is an active combat zone and extremely dangerous. Long delays in Israeli approval to collect and move any aid that enters, means that missions often have to be aborted.
Over one million people have fled Rafah into Al Mawasi, Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis. 1.7 million people, more than two-thirds of Gaza’s population, are now estimated to be crammed into an area of 69 km2 – less than a fifth of the Strip. Despite Israeli assurances that full support would be provided for people fleeing, most of Gaza has been deprived of humanitarian aid, as famine inches closer. Last week, Israeli attacks killed dozens of civilians in tents in areas it had declared “safe zones”. As the humanitarian situation within Gaza deteriorates even further and more children die of starvation and disease, Oxfam said that:

  •  A food survey by aid agencies in May found that 85 per cent of children did not eat for a whole day at least once in the three days before the survey was conducted, with dietary diversity worsening.
  • Living conditions are so appalling that in Al-Mawasi, there are just 121 latrines for over 500,000 people – or 4,130 people having to share each toilet.
  • Just 19 per cent of the 400,000 litres of fuel a day needed to run the humanitarian operation in Gaza – including transportation, the provision of clean water and sewage removal – is being allowed in and is not delivered every day.
  • According to the UN, aid deliveries have dropped by two-thirds since Israel’s invasion of Rafah. Since 6 May, just 216 trucks of humanitarian aid entered via Kerem Shalom and were able to be collected – an average of eight a day
  • It’s estimated that hundreds of commercial food trucks are entering daily via the Kerem Shalom crossing. Although important for increasing food availability in Gaza, the consignments include items like non-nutritious energy drinks, chocolate and cookies, and food is often sold at inflated prices that people cannot afford. Lack of dietary diversity is one of the key drivers of acute malnutrition and has been assessed as ‘extremely critical’ in Gaza
  • People are paying nearly $700 for the most basic tents and there is so little space left, that some have been forced to set up tents in the cemetery at Deir al-Balah


Sally Abi Khalil, Oxfam’s Middle East and North Africa Director said “By the time a famine is declared, it will be too late. When hunger claims many more lives, nobody will be able to deny the horrifying impact of Israel’s deliberate, illegal and cruel obstruction of aid. Obstructing tonnes of food for a malnourished population while waving through caffeine-laced drinks and chocolate is sickening.

“Israel claimed weeks ago that it would provide full humanitarian support and medical assistance to civilians it had told to move. Not only is this not happening, its ongoing impunity, bombardment and deliberate obstruction have created unprecedented and impossibly dangerous conditions for humanitarian agencies to operate.”

As the occupying power, Israel is legally obligated not to restrict or delay the entry of goods required to meet the basic needs of Gaza’s residents, and must actively guarantee the continuous and uninterrupted supply of all aid.

Meera, an Oxfam staff member in Al-Mawasi who has been displaced seven times since October said “This area was designated a humanitarian zone, but there is nothing humanitarian about the situation here. The conditions are unbearable, there is no access to clean water, people are forced to rely on the sea.
“These people deserve so much better. Children should be in school, not worrying about how to support their families. Babies should be sleeping in warm beds, not exposed to insects.”

Oxfam is calling for an immediate, permanent ceasefire to end the death and destruction, full and permanent access of all ground crossings for humanitarian aid to be delivered at scale and the release of all hostages and unlawfully detained Palestinian prisoners.

Notes to editor:

  1. Rafah Crossing has been closed since 6 May, with over 2,000 aid trucks – the majority of which are carrying food – stuck in a 28-mile traffic jam back to the Egyptian city of Arish.
  2. Approvals for aid agencies to move to collect aid and refuel trucks inside Gaza have to be confirmed by the Israeli Coordination and Liaison Administration (CLA).
  3. The details of the food survey by the Nutrition Cluster – made up of aid agencies working in Gaza, including Oxfam – are in this OCHA update from 27 May.
  4. It is estimated that at least 550,000 people are now in Al-Mawasi. Currently just 121 toilets have been installed. Using a conservative figure of 500,000 people equates to 4,132 people for every
    toilet.
  5. The humanitarian operation in Gaza needs 400,000 litres of fuel per day, but since Rafah crossing was closed, from 6 – 27 May, of the 8.8 million litres required, only 1.6 million litres has entered.
  6. The UNRWA tracker shows Kerem Shalom crossing aid deliveries that entered and were able to be collected from 6 – 31 May
    In March, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report found that famine was imminent by May in northern Gaza and that half of the entire population (1.1 million people) are expected to face catastrophic food insecurity by mid-July.
  7. Daniel Hagari, Israeli Government spokesperson, made this statement on 6 May regarding humanitarian support

Epidemic risk rising as Rafah invasion compounds lethal cocktail of over-crowding, sewage and hunger

Israeli military attacks since October caused at least $210m worth of damage to Gaza’s water and sanitation infrastructure.


The destruction of critical water and sanitation infrastructure by the Israeli forces along with severe over-crowding, malnutrition and heat is pushing Gaza to the brink of a deadly epidemic outbreak, Oxfam warned today. The situation is further compounded by the Israeli invasion of Rafah which has forced over
350,000 people to flee to already overcrowded shelters and camps, and food and fuel are running out with the closure of border crossings.The international aid agency said at least five of its life-saving water and sanitation projects in the Gaza Strip had been severely damaged or destroyed in the Israeli attacks since 7 October. Oxfam staff in Gaza have described piles of human waste and rivers of sewage in the streets, which people are having to jump between. They also reported people having to drink dirty water and children being bitten by insects swarming around the sewage.

Conditions are ripe for the outbreak of epidemics including Hepatitis A and cholera, which thrive in overcrowded places lacking proper sanitation. Soaring temperatures are also increasing health risks. Oxfam’s Middle East Director, Sally Abi Khalil, said: “The situation is desperate, with so many people in Gaza living in fear and being forced to endure inhumane and unsanitary conditions caused by sustained Israeli bombardment. One colleague told me there was so much human waste in the streets, it literally smelt like disease. “Israel’s military assault on Rafah could be devastating, not only because of the risk of mass civilian casualties, but also the repercussions of vast numbers of people being forced to move. With the infrastructure already beyond breaking point, little or no healthcare available, and widespread malnutrition this could quickly escalate into a major epidemic.”

One of Oxfam’s partners in Gaza, Juzoor for Health and Social Development – which is operating in more than 50 shelters and numerous health points across North Gaza and serving hundreds of thousands of people – said they’ve seen a worrying rise in disease outbreaks. Celine Maayeh, Advocacy and Research Officer for Juzoor, said: “Unfortunately, all of our shelters lack proper sanitation and sewage systems, and just a few days ago we started hearing reports of areas in Gaza being infested with bugs and flies. Our health teams have been dealing with skin infections and cases of watery diarrhoea for months now; and we’ve recently detected thousands of cases of hepatitis A and other gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases. While we’ve managed to treat them, the rising temperatures and accumulating waste and sewage are creating the perfect recipe for a health catastrophe that our health teams alone cannot tackle.”

UNICEF analysis of satellite images found that in Gaza Governate 87 per cent of critical water and sanitation facilities have been destroyed or severely damaged. Across Gaza, at least five of Oxfam’s projects – three wells, a desalination plant and a sewage pumping station have been destroyed or severely damaged that served over 180,700 people a day. A further seven Oxfam water or sanitation projects are also believed to have sustained some degree of damage. Israeli airstrikes also destroyed the warehouse of one of Oxfam’s local suppliers with the loss of an estimated $60,000 worth of Oxfam latrine blocks – purpose-built toilet and shower facilities, which were due to help improve sanitary conditions for thousands of people.

Attacks which target civilian infrastructure are illegal under the Geneva Conventions. The extensive damage to water and sanitation infrastructure is one example of the Israeli military’s relentless assault on Gaza, which according to UN experts, may amount to breaches of International Humanitarian Law. The Coastal Municipalities Water Utility (CMWU), which is responsible for water and sanitation in Gaza and with whom Oxfam works, estimates the overall damage to Gaza’s water and sanitation infrastructure to be at least $210 million. This is based on assessments where their technical staff were able carry out field surveys and does not include damage in areas which cannot be reached due to the ongoing fighting or Israeli military restrictions. The estimate also does not account for all of the ‘unseen damage’ which is likely to have been caused by the Israeli military’s use of tanks, bombs and rockets.

Monther Shoblaq, CEO of CMWU said: “The entire water supply and sewage management systems are nearing total collapse because the damage is so extensive. There is no power to operate the water wells, desalination plants and the remaining wastewater treatment plants and the sewage is overflowing. We are doing all we can, but the situation is desperate.”

Despite the extremely hostile conditions, Oxfam and its local partners have been able to carry out quick fix repairs on some badly damaged water and wastewater pipelines in Rafah, Khan Younis and Deir Al-Balah governorates, providing 50,000 people with clean water and sanitation. In one area of Rafah, before the invasion, almost 200 metres of new pipelines were fitted. Oxfam and its partners have also installed five desalination units to provide clean
drinking water, and three more units have finally been given permission to enter Gaza, after long and repeated attempts. Life-saving water has been trucked to people in makeshift shelters in Rafah and Khan Younis and Oxfam is hoping to expand this to reach more people in the North.

To date, Oxfam’s work on water and sanitation has helped over 133,000 people and more funding is needed to continue.
Sally Abi Khalil, said: “The Israeli army has continued to destroy every aspect of life in Gaza through military attacks and siege, ruining what little civilian infrastructure remains and preventing humanitarian aid from getting in. We urgently need an immediate and permanent ceasefire to end the death and destruction, to allow more aid into Gaza and to ensure the release of the hostages and illegally detained Palestinian prisoners.”


Notes to editors:
• A UNOSAT satellite imagery analysis released in mid-January, carried out by UNICEF on behalf of the Water and Sanitation Cluster, shows that 87 per cent of WASH facilities in Gaza governorate were either destroyed or sustained some level of damage, according to OCHA.
• According to UNRWA, almost 360,000 people have fled Rafah since the first evacuation order a week ago.
• According to an assessment carried out by The Coastal Municipalities Water Utility – using field surveys and data collected from technical staff in 25 municipal areas who made a preliminary recording of visible and urgent damage in areas they have been able to access – the cost of repairs, as of April 2024, would be at least $210 million. Cost estimates may increase due un-seen damages under the mass debris.
• Juzoor’s teams of health professionals have been monitoring the situation in the North of Gaza and utilizing the WHO’s diagnosis kits and treatment protocols. Juzoor medical points have been able to successfully handle 99 percent of cases that present with recognizable
symptoms, ensuring optimal care. For severe cases, Juzoor refer individuals to secondary treatment facilities and arrange for hospital admission.

People in northern Gaza forced to survive on 245 calories a day, less than a can of beans

People in northern Gaza have been forced to survive on an average of 245 calories a day – less than a can of fava beans – since January, as Israeli forces continue their military onslaught. Over 300,000 people are believed to still be trapped there, unable to leave.

The miniscule amount of food represents less than 12 per cent of the recommended daily 2,100 calorie intake needed per person, calculated using demographic data considering variations by age and gender. Last week, the Israeli government told UNRWA, by far the largest aid provider in Gaza, that its convoys would no longer be allowed into the north. 

Oxfam’s analysis is  based on the latest available data used in the recent Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis for the Gaza Strip. Oxfam  also found that the total food deliveries allowed into Gaza for the entire 2.2 million population – since last October – amounted to an average of just 41 per cent of the daily calories needed per person.

The Israeli government has known for nearly two decades exactly how many daily calories are needed to prevent malnutrition in Gaza, calculating this according to both age and gender within its  Food Consumption in the Gaza Strip – Red Line document. Not only did it use a higher calculation of 2,279 calories per person, it also took into account domestic food production in Gaza, which the Israeli military has now virtually obliterated.

A mother trapped in northern Gaza said:  “Before the war, we were in good health and had strong bodies. Now, looking at my children and myself, we have lost so much weight since we do not eat any proper food, we are trying to eat whatever we find – edible wild plants or herbs daily just to survive.”

Oxfam also found that less than half the number of food trucks needed to reach the daily 2,100 calories intake for everyone are currently entering Gaza. Using IPC and UNRWA data, Oxfam’s analysis found that an absolute minimum of 221 trucks of food alone are needed every day, not accounting for wastage or unequal distribution. Currently just 105 trucks of food are entering Gaza daily on average.

The IPC report found that famine is imminent in northern Gaza and that almost all the population is now experiencing extreme hunger; with 1.1 million people experiencing catastrophic food insecurity. Horrifyingly, children are already dying from starvation and malnutrition, often worsened by disease. 

Hunger and its impacts are exacerbated by the near-complete destruction of civilian infrastructure including hospitals, water and sanitation services and community health support by Israel, leaving people even more vulnerable to disease. In addition to the limited availability of food, the ability to find or buy a nutritious, varied diet is not feasible across Gaza.  For the little fruit and vegetables still available, extreme price rises due to scarcity have put them out of reach for most people. Specialised nutrition products and centres to treat malnourished children are also difficult or impossible to find.

Amitabh Behar, Oxfam International Executive Director said: “Israel is making deliberate choices to starve civilians. Imagine what it is like, not only to be trying to survive on 245 calories day in, day out, but also having to watch your children or elderly relatives do the same. All whilst displaced, with little to no access to clean water or a toilet, knowing most medical support has gone and under the constant threat of drones and bombs.

“Israel is ignoring both the International Court of Justice order to prevent genocide and UN Security Council resolutions. Only last week the ICJ ordered new provisional measures, stating famine is no longer looming, but ‘setting in’ in Gaza.  All countries need to immediately stop supplying arms to Israel and do all they can to secure an immediate and permanent ceasefire; only then can we stop this horrifying carnage for the 2.2 million people who have endured six months of suffering. Israel cannot weaponize starvation any longer.” 

Oxfam is calling for a permanent ceasefire, the return of all hostages and the release of unlawfully detained Palestinian prisoners, for countries to immediately stop supplying arms to Israel and for full humanitarian aid access. The global response for Gaza must include both adequate and nutritious food for everyone, the full restoration of hospitals and health services, water, and sanitation infrastructure and for all reconstruction materials to be allowed across the border.

 

Notes to editor

Oxfam’s calculations are available upon request

2,100 kilocalories per person is the average daily energy requirement used in the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report (18 March). It was calculated using demographic data considering variations by age and gender. The population of Gaza stated is 2.23 million people.

The average daily calories per person in northern Gaza was calculated using IPC data from 7 January to 20 February inclusive. The average daily calories per person for the entire population of Gaza, is from IPC data between 26 October to 20 February inclusive. IPC used an in-depth analysis of all food truck manifests allowed into Gaza from 26 October to 20 February, to generate approximate kilocalorie values per truck and per unit of analysis then distributed per area.

Oxfam calculated the average kilocalories per food truck using the IPC data of all food truck manifests allowed into Gaza from 26 October to 20 February.

UNRWA data shows that 3,781 food trucks were allowed to enter Gaza from 21 February to 27 March inclusive – an average of 105 food trucks per day. This excludes the 301 mixed items trucks over this period – 8 trucks a day – which may have included food as part of the consignment. Based on the 2,100 kilocalories per person daily energy requirement, across the 2.2 million population, Oxfam calculated that 221 food trucks per day minimum are needed each day.

The Israeli government was forced to release Food Consumption in the Gaza Strip – Red Lines in October 2012, following a long legal battle by Israeli human rights organisation Gisha. The document included information about the policy of restricting the entrance of food to the Gaza Strip, which was in effect between 2007 and 2010, calculating the exact number of calories and the weight of various basic food items Gaza residents require, according to age and gender, to avoid malnutrition.

A 400g can of fava beans contains between 250 and 340 calories.

The UN and other agencies have reported children are dying of starvation in Gaza.

Oxfam reaction to the UN Security Council’s call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza

In response to the UN Security Council’s call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, Oxfam’s UN Representative and Head of New York Office Brenda Mofya said:

“We welcome the Security Council’s adoption of a ceasefire resolution so Palestinians in Gaza can have much-needed respite from the relentless and devastating Israeli violence and critical aid can reach them. However, this resolution, while a step in the right direction, falls short of the permanent ceasefire which is truly required and comes too late for the over 32,000 Palestinians in Gaza that have been killed, and thousands more unaccounted for, while the Security Council wrung its hands over semantics.  
“For nearly six months, the rest of the international community has repeatedly called for a permanent ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and the provision of unrestricted aid into Gaza. It is long overdue for UN Security Council Member States to finally heed these calls with the moral leadership that is rightfully expected of them and to stop the killing and suffering in Gaza.  

“Now this resolution has passed, it is imperative for Member States to fulfil their obligations to ensure that it is implemented so that Palestinians never endure violence such as this again. This includes immediately halting the transfer of weapons, parts, and ammunition to Israel and Palestinian armed groups.  

“A mere two-week pause is not enough. This initial cessation in violence must lead to a permanent ceasefire that lasts and a sustainable peace for Palestinians and Israelis alike, so people in Gaza can mourn their loved ones and begin the long road of recovery and reconstruction.”

 

CONTACT DETAILS

oxfam@oxfam.org.nz

Israel government continues to block Gaza aid response

Israeli authorities have rejected a warehouse full of international aid including oxygen, incubators and Oxfam water and sanitation gear all of which is now stockpiled at Al Arish just 40 km away from the border of 2.3 million desperate Palestinians in Gaza.

The aid originates from many humanitarian organisations around the world and has been rejected over weeks and months as result of an unpredictable and chaotic regime of approval, scanning and inspection, ultimately controlled by Israeli authorities. The reasons for rejection are not clear, says Oxfam.

In a new report today, Oxfam said this rejected aid was just one example of an overall humanitarian response that Israel has made so dangerous and dysfunctional as to be impossible for aid agencies to work at the speed and scale necessary to save lives, despite best efforts.

Oxfam says that Israel’s government ultimately bears accountability for the breakdown of the international response to the crisis in Gaza. It is failing in its legal responsibilities to the people whose land it occupies and breaking one of the key provisions demanded by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) – to boost humanitarian aid in light of the risk of genocide in Gaza.

Oxfam believes that people living in Gaza will suffer mass death from disease and starvation far beyond the current 31,000 Palestinian war casualties unless Israel takes immediate steps to end its violations.

Oxfam Middle East and North Africa Director, Sally Abi Khalil said, “the fact that other governments have not challenged Israel hard enough, but instead turned to less effective methods like airdrops and maritime corridors is a huge red flag, signalling that Israel continues to deny the full potential of better ways to deliver more aid”.

“Israeli authorities are not only failing to facilitate the international aid effort but are actively hindering it. We believe that Israel is failing to take all measures within its power to prevent genocide,” Abi Khalil said.

Oxfam’s report “Inflicting Unprecedented Suffering and Destruction” identifies seven crucial ways that Israel is actively preventing the delivery of international aid into Gaza and punishing all Palestinians living in Gaza by deliberately depriving them of life and safety.

The report says that Israeli authorities:

  • Only allow aid in via two crossings into Gaza – at Rafah and KarmAbu Salem/Kerem Shalom – despite having total control to open more, thereby creating avoidable choke points for aid;
  • Are leading a dysfunctional and undersized inspection system that keeps aid snarled up, subjected to onerous, repetitive and unpredictable bureaucratic procedures that are contributing to trucks being stranded in giant queues for 20 days on average;
  • Are routinely and arbitrarily rejecting items of aid as having “dual (military) use”, banning vital fuel and generators entirely along with other items vital for a meaningful humanitarian response such as protective gear and communications kit. Much rejected aid must go through a complex “pre-approval” system or end up being held in limbo at the Al Arish warehouse in Egypt;
  • Have cracked down on humanitarian missions, largely sealing off northern Gaza, and restricting international humanitarian workers’ access not only into Gaza, but Israel and the West Bank including East Jerusalem too.

Israel has allowed 15,413 trucks into Gaza during the past 157 days of war. Oxfam says the population of Gaza needed five times more than that just to meet their minimum needs. In February, Israel allowed 2,874 trucks in – a 44% reduction from the month before.

Israel’s actions are also undermining international aid by its continued military assault inside Gaza, unparalleled in terms of intensity, brutality and scope – and which Israeli leaders themselves have called a “total siege” – as Oxfam highlights:

  • Israel’s assault has caught Gaza’s own aid workers and international agencies’ partners inside a “practically uninhabitable” environment of mass displacement and deprivation, where 75% of solid waste is now being dumped in random sites, 97% of groundwater made unfit for human use, and the Israeli state using starvation as a weapon of war;
  • Israel has rendered nowhere in Gaza safe amid the forcible and often multiple displacements of almost the entire population, which makes the principled distribution of aid unviable, including agencies’ ability to help repair vital public services at scale;
  • Its attacks are disproportionate and indiscriminate upon civilian and humanitarian assets – including people – such as solar, water, power and sanitation plants, UN premises, hospitals, roads, and aid convoys and warehouses, even when these assets are supposedly ‘deconflicted’ after their coordinates have been shared for protection.

“The state of Israel has created the perfect storm for humanitarian collapse and only the state of Israel can fix it,” Abi Khalil said.

Celine Maayeh, the Advocacy and Research Officer for one of Oxfam’s partner organisations in Gaza, Juzoor for Health and Social Development, said:

“Juzoor has been overwhelmed with support from all over the world, but we’re so frustrated in our helplessness and inability to actually get enough aid into Gaza. For the first few weeks, we managed to procure whatever we could get our hands on from local markets. Now, there is almost nothing — no resources, no supplies. In the North the situation is beyond dire. There’s been an alarming increase in cases of malnutrition among children in the last month , and yet the only food the team is able to find to feed people living in 45 shelters is some vegetables. There is an indisputable, man-made, intentional deprivation of aid that continues to suck the life out of any and all humanitarian operations, including our own.”

Oxfam is calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire to end the death and suffering because the measures intended to protect civilians or give them aid are not working. Armed Palestinian groups must release the civilian hostages they hold unconditionally. Displaced people should be allowed to return home in safety.

NOTES TO EDITOR

CONTACT DETAILS

oxfam@oxfam.org.nz

Gaza: Airdrops and sea routes are no alternative to aid delivery by land

25 NGOs call on governments to prioritise ceasefire and ground-based humanitarian aid as deaths from malnutrition and disease rise.

Human rights and humanitarian organisations present on the ground in the Gaza Strip have reiterated since the start of the current escalation that the only way to meet the unprecedented humanitarian needs in the enclave is to secure an immediate and permanent ceasefire and to ensure full, safe and unhindered humanitarian access through all land crossings. States cannot hide behind airdrops and efforts to open a maritime corridor to create the illusion that they are doing enough to support the needs in Gaza: their primary responsibility is to prevent atrocity crimes from unfolding and apply effective political pressure to end the relentless bombardment and the restrictions which prevent the safe delivery of humanitarian aid. 

For months, every person in the Gaza Strip has been surviving with crisis-level hunger, in the largest proportion of any population in food security crisis ever recorded by the Integrated Food Security and Nutrition Phase Classification (IPC). Families have been drinking unsafe water for months and spend days without eating. The health system completely collapsed amid disease outbreaks and severe injuries due to constant bombardment. At least 20 children have recently died from severe malnutrition, dehydration and related diseases. As each day witnesses an acceleration in the deterioration of the food, water and health situation, more deaths from starvation and disease are to follow if humanitarian access continues to be impeded by Israeli authorities. The UN has warned that famine is imminent.

While States have recently ramped up airdrops of aid in Gaza, humanitarian professionals stress that this method of aid delivery alone has in no way the capacity to meet the massive needs in the enclave. 2.3 million people living in a catastrophic state of survival cannot be fed and healed by airdrops. 

Airdrops are unable to provide the volumes of assistance that can be transported by land.  While a convoy of five trucks has the capacity to carry about 100 tons of lifesaving assistance, recent airdrops delivered only a few tons of aid each. Airdrops can also be extremely dangerous to the lives of civilians seeking aid: there have already been reports of at least 5 persons killed from free falling aid packages in Gaza. Humanitarian assistance cannot be improvised: it must be delivered by professional teams, with expertise in organising distributions and providing direct lifesaving services. Aid deliveries need to have a human face: not only to be able to properly assess the needs of affected people, but also to restore hope and dignity to an already traumatised and desperate population. After enduring five months of continuous bombardments and dehumanising conditions, children, women and men in Gaza have the right to more than meagre charity dropped from the sky. While any humanitarian aid arriving to Gaza is welcome, transportation by air or by sea should be seen as complementary to land transportation and not as a substitute as it cannot in any circumstances replace the assistance delivered by road.

It is important to note that some of the States who have recently conducted airdrops are also providing weapons to Israeli authorities, namely the US, UK and France. States cannot leverage aid to circumvent their international responsibilities and duties under international law, including the prevention of atrocity crimes. For these States to meet their international law obligations they must halt all arms transfers that risk being used in international crimes, as well as implement meaningful measures to enforce an immediate ceasefire, unrestricted humanitarian access and accountability for perpetrators.

Third States recently announced efforts to open a maritime corridor from Cyprus, including the establishment of a floating port on Gaza shore that will not be fully operational before several weeks. Families are starving and do not have the time for offshore and ashore infrastructure to be constructed: saving their lives requires immediately allowing the humanitarian trucks full of food and medicine whose entry in Gaza is currently being withheld. Moreover, shipments from this dock to distribution points around Gaza will suffer from the same obstacles that aid convoys from Rafah are currently facing: persistent insecurity, high rate of access denial by Israeli forces, and excessive waits at Israeli checkpoints. Therefore, its establishment will not substantially change the humanitarian catastrophic situation, unless it is combined with an immediate ceasefire and full, unimpeded access to all areas of the Gaza Strip. There are also concerns about the lack of transparency concerning which entity will be responsible for the infrastructure and security of aid delivery ashore: States must ensure that the maritime corridor does not legitimise a prolonged Israeli ground military occupation of the strip by instrumentalising the necessity of aid delivery.

We recognise that every aid is needed in this dire context but alert on the potential devastating consequences of creating dangerous precedents leading to the degradation of humanitarian access through land and prolongation of hostilities. The appropriate humanitarian response to the massive needs in Gaza is unrestricted access for the aid and professional humanitarian personnel that have been prepositioned for months on the Egyptian side of the border. So far, the possibility for 2.3 million people in Gaza to eat, be healed, and have a roof over their head has been at the sole discretion of the Israeli authorities: this situation cannot remain unchallenged. Humanitarian organisations have the logistical capacity to provide for Palestinians in Gaza: what is missing is the political will from State actors to enforce access.

What humanitarian organisations are expecting from Third States is to urgently use their leverage towards an immediate ceasefire and to compel Israeli authorities to stop their deliberate blockade of lifesaving aid in all parts of the Gaza Strip, including through the full opening and lifting of restrictions on Rafah, Kerem Shalom / Karam Abu Salem, Erez / Beit Hanoun and Karni crossings. We recall that an immediate and permanent ceasefire is the only condition to allow for the colossal increase in the flow of humanitarian aid needed to alleviate the suffering of 2.3 million people in the Gaza Strip.

 

Signatories:

Action Aid International

American Friends Service Committee

Amnesty International

Association of Italian NGOs

CCFD-Terre Solidaire

CISS – Cooperazione Internazionale Sud Sud

DanChurch Aid

Danish House in Palestine

Danish Refugee Council

HelpAge International

Humanity & Inclusion – Handicap International

IM Swedish Development Partner

International Federation for Human Rights

INTERSOS

Medical Aid for Palestinians

Mennonite Central Committee

Médecins du Monde International Network / Doctors of the World

Médecins Sans Frontières France / Doctors Without Borders France

Oxfam

Plan International

Première Urgence Internationale

Secours Islamique France

Terre des Hommes Italy

War Child Alliance

Welfare Association

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