Israel is deliberately blocking food and aid to Gaza as a means of warfare, according to the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), who told the BBC the situation amounts to using hunger as a weapon.
With international journalists barred from entering Gaza, the world relies on local reporters—more than 200 of whom have been killed—and aid organisations for firsthand accounts of the suffering. Pascal Hundt of the International Committee of the Red Cross warned last week that civilians in Gaza face an “overwhelming daily struggle to survive,” enduring bombardment, mass displacement, and severe shortages of food and medical supplies.
The humanitarian crisis worsened dramatically when Israel resumed its offensive on March 18, shattering a fragile ceasefire and blocking all aid shipments. This move derailed plans for a phased peace deal that could have led to the release of all remaining hostages and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the agreement under pressure from far-right coalition partners, who threatened to collapse his government unless the war resumed. Critics argue that Netanyahu is prolonging the conflict to preserve political power and avoid legal consequences from his ongoing corruption trial.
Now, Netanyahu is promising a renewed “intense” military campaign, which includes the forced displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians. In practice, this means families have only minutes to flee from one targeted zone to another—with no guarantee of safety.
The UN and aid groups warn that unless the blockade is lifted and aid allowed in, the crisis in Gaza will grow even more catastrophic—both in human suffering and regional instability.
