Gaza Humanitarian Catastrophe Worsens: UNRWA Chief Sounds Alarm as Civilian Deaths Mount Amid Critical Shortages

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached an unprecedented and horrifying scale, with the head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) declaring the territory a “graveyard of children and starving people.” This stark warning comes as new reports detail escalating civilian casualties around aid distribution sites and a critical lack of essential supplies.

Since late May, at least 798 people have been killed attempting to access aid, according to the U.N., with 615 fatalities occurring near U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) sites and 183 near aid convoys. Most recently, on Saturday, July 12, the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health reported 29 people shot and killed near a GHF site in Rafah, an incident the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated showed “no known injured individuals from IDF fire.” Just two days prior, on Thursday, July 10, 15 individuals, including nine children, died waiting for nutritional supplies in Deir al Balah, an event the IDF attributes to targeting a Hamas militant.

The dire situation is exacerbated by severe shortages of medicine and fuel, paralyzing healthcare services. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) reported on Friday, July 11, that malnutrition cases have surged to an all-time high at their clinics, with hundreds of pregnant women and children suffering from severe or moderate malnutrition. Hospitals, like Al-Helou Hospital in Gaza City, are struggling to care for newborns, often cramming multiple infants into single incubators due to fuel-induced power outages, leading to preventable deaths.

A report published this week by Physicians for Human Rights and the Global Human Rights Clinic at the University of Chicago Law School condemned Israeli restrictions on medical supplies, asserting they have forced “almost medieval conditions” on healthcare workers, leading to surgeries without anesthesia and preventable deaths. The UN has urgently called for consistent and sufficient fuel delivery to sustain life-saving operations.

Amidst the deepening crisis, diplomatic efforts remain stalled. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Thursday, July 10, that Israel would intensify its Gaza operations if Hamas does not agree to specific ceasefire conditions within 60 days, including demilitarization. Hamas, in response, called Netanyahu’s motives “malicious,” reiterating its proposal for a comprehensive exchange deal ensuring a permanent cessation of aggression and full aid flow.

The conflict, which began on October 7, 2023, has resulted in over 57,000 deaths in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health, with an estimated 20 living hostages still held by Hamas.

阅读中文版 (Read Chinese Version)

Disclaimer: This content is aggregated from public sources online. Please verify information independently. If you believe your rights have been infringed, contact us for removal.