2025-08-01 18:00:42.407

International outcry over images of emaciated children and increasing reports of hunger-related deaths have pressured Israel to let more aid into the Gaza Strip. This week, Israel paused fighting in parts of Gaza and airdropped food. But aid groups and Palestinians say the changes have only been incremental and are not enough to reverse what food experts say is a “worst-case scenario of famine” unfolding in the war-ravaged territory. The new measures have brought an uptick in the number of aid trucks entering Gaza. But almost none of it reaches U.N. warehouses for distribution. Instead, nearly all the trucks are stripped of their cargo by crowds that overwhelm them on the roads as they drive from the borders. The crowds are a mix of Palestinians desperate for food and gangs armed with knives, axes or pistols who loot the goods to then hoard or sell. Many have also been killed trying to grab the aid. Witnesses say Israeli troops often open fire on crowds around the aid trucks, and hospitals have reported hundreds killed or wounded. The Israeli military says it has only fired warning shots to control crowds or at people who approach its forces. The alternative food distribution system run by the Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has also been marred by violence. International airdrops of aid have resumed. But aid groups say airdrops deliver only a fraction of what trucks can supply. Also, many parcels have landed in now-inaccessible areas that Palestinians have been told to evacuate, while others have plunged into the Mediterranean Sea, forcing people to swim out to retrieve drenched bags of flour. The U.N. says that longstanding restrictions on the entry of aid have created an unpredictable environment, and that while a pause in fighting might allow more aid in, Palestinians are not confident aid will reach them. “This has resulted in many of our convoys offloaded directly by starving, desperate people as they continue to face deep levels of hunger and are struggling to feed their families,” said Olga Cherevko, a spokesperson for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA. “The only way to reach a level of confidence is by having a sustained flow of aid over a period of time,” she said.

2025-06-07 00:00:44.817

Palestinians across the war-ravaged Gaza Strip observed the start of Eid al-Adha with prayers outside destroyed mosques and homes, facing a grim reality with little hope for a swift end to the conflict with Israel. The holiday, typically a time of celebration, was marked by hardship as much of Gaza lies in ruins. Families held prayers in the open air due to the destruction of mosques and homes. Food supplies are dwindling, forcing families to make do with scarce resources. Kamel Emran described the situation as the "worst feast" due to the lack of food, shelter, and basic necessities. The inability of Gazans to travel to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj pilgrimage further adds to the hardship. Sanaa Al-Ghola mourned the loss of her son, killed during shelling while collecting flour, highlighting the devastating impact of the war on families. In a displacement camp, Tahrir Abu Jazar described the lack of celebratory elements, including new clothes, sacrificial meat, and monetary gifts. Nine people were killed while trying to collect humanitarian aid in Rafah, according to Nasser Hospital officials. Israel issued a new warning to civilians in northern Gaza about impending military operations. Four Israeli soldiers were killed in southern Gaza by an explosive device while searching a Hamas compound. The war, which began on October 7, 2023, with a Hamas attack on Israel, has resulted in a staggering death toll on both sides. Over 54,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, while Israel has suffered over 1,200 deaths. The UN warns of a potential famine in Gaza, with nearly 500,000 people facing extreme food deprivation. Shootings near aid distribution points have resulted in additional casualties. A US consulting firm, Boston Consulting Group, fired two partners for undisclosed work with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.