Recent reports have highlighted a devastating sequence of events in which aid convoys, workers, and facilities in Gaza have been systematically attacked or obstructed, creating an unparalleled humanitarian crisis.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) recently suspended aid deliveries through the main route into Gaza, following violent looting incidents targeting their convoys. These convoys, a critical lifeline for a starving population, were ambushed by armed gangs, highlighting the collapse of law and order in the region.
According to Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of UNRWA, the growing insecurity and targeted attacks have made aid operations "unnecessarily impossible." These developments come amid accusations that the occupying Israeli forces have failed to ensure the safety of aid workers and supplies as mandated under international law.
On the 28th of October 2024, the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) voted to bar the UNRWA from operations in Israeli-occupied Palestinian territory of Gaza and the West Bank, causing aid supply chains to further deteriorate.
The gravity of the crisis was highlighted further when an Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis killed three aid workers from World Central Kitchen (WCK), a US-based charity operating community kitchens in Gaza. Israeli military sources claimed the strike targeted a Hamas militant allegedly involved in the October 7 attacks, who was purportedly employed by the charity. WCK categorically denied any knowledge of such affiliations, describing the deaths as heartbreaking.
This incident marks the third deadly attack on WCK workers within a year, as reported by Al Jazeera. The charity, which has been instrumental in Gaza, announced the suspension of its operations following the attack, leaving a population already at risk of famine with fewer sources of essential food supplies. The targeting of WCK workers is part of a broader pattern, with numerous aid organizations being affected.
Humanitarian agencies have highlighted the critical risks aid workers face, with 341 workers killed in Gaza since the outbreak of the conflict in October 2023.
The intensification of violence against aid efforts is not a new phenomenon in Gaza but has reached an unprecedented scale in recent months. Historical patterns documented by Human Rights Watch (HRW) and other organizations reveal systematic violations against humanitarian actors.
According to HRW, since October 2023, Israeli forces have carried out at least eight confirmed strikes on clearly marked aid convoys and facilities until May 2024.
The frequency of such attacks has reportedly increased in recent months. These targets included those operated by Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) and UNRWA. These incidents occurred despite prior coordination with Israeli authorities, who had been provided with precise information about the locations of these facilities to avoid harm.
Aid Infrastructure
The targeting of aid infrastructure, including attacks on marked vehicles and shelters, has further crippled Gaza’s already precarious humanitarian situation. UNRWA has reported extensive damage to its facilities, including shelters housing displaced individuals, with several fatalities resulting from these strikes. The attacks have not only claimed lives but have also deterred aid agencies from operating effectively in the region.
According to UNRWA reports, aid deliveries into Gaza have plummeted, with only 65 trucks entering daily in November 2024, compared to the pre-war average of 500. The limited supplies exacerbate a dire food crisis, where starvation is being weaponized as a tool of war.
The implications of these actions extend beyond the immediate humanitarian crisis. They represent a violation of international law, including the Geneva Conventions, which obligate occupying powers to facilitate the delivery of aid and protect civilians. Human Rights Watch has emphasized that such attacks, when conducted deliberately or recklessly, constitute war crimes.
HRW has documented multiple incidents over the years where aid workers and facilities were deliberately targeted. In one case, an attack on a WCK convoy in April 2024 resulted in the deaths of seven workers. Israel later claimed that it had been a mistake but provided no assurances of systemic changes to prevent such occurrences in the future.
These recurring attacks have had a chilling effect on aid operations, with many organizations limiting their activities or withdrawing entirely due to safety concerns.
The catastrophic impact on Gaza’s civilian population cannot be overstated. With 44,000 Palestinians killed since the escalation of hostilities in October 2023, the majority of them civilians, and over two million people displaced, the humanitarian needs are immense.
The systematic destruction of aid mechanisms has only deepened the suffering, leaving residents without access to basic necessities like food, water, and medical care. The looting of aid convoys, often carried out in areas under Israeli military control, adds another layer of complicity to the Israeli state.
In fact, the Israeli state appears to be deliberately obstructing the supply of any fresh aid. The UNRWA has released reports stating that trucks are being forced to wait an average of 74 days to enter the besieged strip, causing much of the aid to expire or spoil in the meantime.
Horrifying videos of Palestinians rushing towards aid only to find that packets of sugar have been replaced by sand have been circulating social media, adding to the furor over how the Palestinians have been stripped of even their dignity through their inability to access nutritious food. Indeed, videos of Palestinians having to consume animal feed to survive have also been noticed by the international community—and yet the Israeli state has not taken any concrete steps towards mitigating this severe crisis.
In the face of Israeli land blockades, some countries such as the US, UK, UAE, Jordan and Egypt have taken to conducting airdrops. This move has been criticised by aid agencies as an expensive and ineffective method of food and medicine delivery.
Notably, the airdrops are also displaying a high margin of error where aid is erroneously dropped in the ocean, Israeli territory or even on tents and people, causing immediate fatalities. The government media office in Gaza has lambasted these “useless” deliveries as “flashy propaganda rather than humanitarian services,” and has called for aid to be delivered through land routes instead.
UNRWA reports indicate that gangs have exploited the chaos to hijack supplies, further depriving the population of essential resources. In some cases, these gangs operate with impunity, allegedly benefiting from passive or active complicity by Israeli forces.
Efforts to mitigate the crisis have been met with limited success. International actors have repeatedly called for ceasefires and unimpeded humanitarian access, but these measures have proven insufficient in addressing the root causes of the violence.
Aid officials have warned that the current situation is unsustainable, with Gaza teetering on the brink of famine. The need for a robust international response, including accountability for violations of humanitarian law and sustained pressure on all parties to the conflict, is more urgent than ever.
The targeting of aid workers and facilities in Gaza represents one of the gravest humanitarian crises in recent history. The actions of the Israeli military, compounded by the collapse of local governance and the rise of lawlessness, have created a perfect storm of suffering for Gaza’s civilian population.
As the international community grapples with how to respond, the voices of those on the ground—aid workers, civilians, and human rights advocates—serve as a stark reminder of the urgent need for accountability, justice, and an end to the cycle of violence.
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Keywords:
Gaza Aid Crisis, Humanitarian Crisis, Illegal Blockades, UNRWA Operations, Gaza Starvation, Aid Worker Attacks, Humanitarian Law Violations, Israeli Airstrikes, Aid Convoy Looting, Gaza Famine Risks, Occupied Palestine, Aid Infrastructure Destruction, Philippe Lazzarini, World Central Kitchen, Human Rights Watch, International Law Violations.
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