The humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip continues to deteriorate rapidly. Following the expiration of the ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt on March 18, 2024, Israel resumed military operations and imposed a full blockade on the territory. Despite a subsequent partial easing of restrictions and the entry of limited humanitarian aid, the scale of the humanitarian catastrophe remains critical.
According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, as cited by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), since October 7, 2023, more than 52,928 Palestinians have been killed and around 119,846 injured. Among the victims is a significant number of children: over 50,000 minors have been killed or wounded. Since the resumption of hostilities on March 18 alone, according to available reports, 1,309 children have died and another 3,738 have been injured.
From March 2 to May 20, no humanitarian aid entered Gaza. Only on May 20 did Israel allow the entry of 93 trucks carrying food, infant formula, medicine, and medical equipment. However, according to UN estimates, at least 600 trucks per day are needed to meet the basic needs of the population. Due to limited access and complex logistics, the aid that has reached Gaza has not yet reached the majority of recipients.
According to the IPC (Integrated Food Security Phase Classification), supported by the UN, about 500,000 people — approximately one in five residents of Gaza — are in conditions classified as Phase 5 food insecurity, which is famine-level. The entire population of the Gaza Strip — about 2.1 million people — is experiencing acute and prolonged food shortages. Since the beginning of the blockade on March 2, according to the Ministry of Health, 57 children have died from the effects of malnutrition.
If the humanitarian situation does not improve, it is projected that over the next 11 months approximately 71,000 children under the age of five will suffer from acute malnutrition. UNICEF and other international humanitarian organizations are calling for immediate and sustained access to humanitarian aid and protection of the civilian population, especially children.