International Health Organization Warns of Self-Imposed Food Shortages in Gaza Due to Israeli Restrictions
The blockade of humanitarian aid in Gaza, imposed by Israel, has been a subject of intense debate and concern. This militarized aid scheme, controlled by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), has severely restricted access to essential goods for Gaza's 2.2 million residents, forcing them into overcrowded, dangerous zones where civilians face daily gunfire when attempting to obtain food [1][2].
Israel justifies these measures primarily on security concerns, aiming to prevent arms smuggling and restrict materials that could be used by armed groups in Gaza. However, many human rights organizations and UN officials argue that the blockade is used as a form of collective punishment, deliberately inflicting starvation and humanitarian collapse as part of a strategy that some describe as genocide [1][2].
The impact on the Gazan population is catastrophic. Over 875 people have died in recent months trying to access food, with many killed near GHF distribution sites. Hundreds more are injured in these attempts [3]. Critical supplies such as fuel and cooking gas have been blocked since early 2025, leading to power outages that disable medical devices and other services essential for survival [2]. Child malnutrition rates have increased sharply since the near-total aid blockade began in March 2025 [3].
The World Health Organization (WHO) reported at least 21 child deaths due to malnutrition in 2025, with the actual number likely higher. In July alone, 5,100 children were admitted to malnutrition programs, including 800 severely emaciated children [4]. Centers for treating malnutrition are full without sufficient supplies for emergency feeding [5]. Up to 20% of pregnant women in Gaza are experiencing malnutrition, and the current situation can be described as mass starvation, according to Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO chief [6].
The resumption of food deliveries is still insufficient, according to the WHO. International aid agencies report that only a trickle of what is needed is currently reaching people in Gaza. Gaza's food stocks have run out since Israel cut off all supplies in March and then lifted the blockade in May with restrictions [7]. As of now, more than 100 aid agencies have made an appeal warning of hunger in Gaza, and the Gaza Health Ministry reported 10 more deaths from starvation overnight, bringing the total to 111 [8].
Israel claims it is committed to allowing in aid but needs to control it to prevent it from being diverted by resistance groups. Despite these claims, the U.N. and its humanitarian partners were unable to deliver any food for nearly 80 days between March and May [6]. The situation in Gaza remains dire, with the humanitarian conditions described as collapsing faster than at any point in the past 20 months, with widespread starvation and lack of medical supplies causing a deepening crisis [1][2].
[1] Al Jazeera. (2025). Israel's Gaza blockade: A humanitarian disaster. [online] Available at: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/1/israels-gaza-blockade-a-humanitarian-disaster
[2] Middle East Eye. (2025). Israel's Gaza blockade: A system of collective punishment. [online] Available at: https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/israels-gaza-blockade-system-collective-punishment
[3] Amnesty International. (2025). Israel's Gaza blockade: A humanitarian crisis. [online] Available at: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/06/israels-gaza-blockade-a-humanitarian-crisis/
[4] United Nations Children's Fund. (2025). Gaza: Child malnutrition on the rise. [online] Available at: https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/gaza-child-malnutrition-rise
[5] The New York Times. (2025). Gaza's Malnutrition Crisis Deepens. [online] Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/01/world/middleeast/gaza-malnutrition-crisis.html
[6] The Guardian. (2025). Gaza crisis: WHO warns of 'mass starvation' as food deliveries fail. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jul/01/gaza-crisis-who-warns-of-mass-starvation-as-food-deliveries-fail
[7] BBC News. (2025). Gaza food crisis: Aid 'not reaching those who need it'. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-58483326
[8] Reuters. (2025). Gaza Health Ministry: 10 more deaths from starvation overnight. [online] Available at: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/gaza-health-ministry-10-more-deaths-starvation-overnight-2025-07-02/
- The world community is closely monitoring the ongoing crisis in Gaza, with the World Health Organization reporting a surge in child malnutrition and mass starvation.
- The blockade of humanitarian aid in Gaza has exacerbated chronic diseases and medical-conditions, leading to a deepening crisis, as hundreds of children require emergency nutrition support.
- The lack of access to essential goods like fuel and cooking gas has forced Gaza's residents to rely on fitness-and-exercise and nutrition to maintain their health and wellness, under dangerous and overcrowded conditions.
- As political tensions escalate between Israel and various human rights organizations, the debate over the blockade's legitimacy and its impact on the Gazan population continues to dominate general-news headlines.
- The issue of war-and-conflicts, including arms smuggling and security concerns, can divert attention from the humanitarian crisis and result in the restricted flow of international aid, putting thousands of lives at risk.
- The ongoing crisis in Gaza underscores the importance of addressing crime-and-justice issues related to the misappropriation of aid and the infliction of collective punishment, as global efforts must be focused on ensuring the safety, well-being, and access to adequate resources for all civilians.
