Obstructing Humanitarian Aid Delivery to Gaza, a persistent strategy by Israel
The ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip continues to take a heavy toll on civilians, with the humanitarian situation reaching a critical point as of February 28, 2024.
The healthcare system in Gaza has collapsed due to the conflict, with the last time people were permitted into Gaza being on January 23, 2024, according to the World Health Organization. The Al Amal hospital in Khan Younis, which has been affected by 40 strikes in the last month, has been a particular focus of concern. A convoy to evacuate 24 patients from the hospital was stalled for seven hours on Sunday, and paramedics were detained by Israeli forces. The convoy had to leave another 31 patients behind.
The humanitarian access and aid delivery in Gaza face significant obstacles imposed by Israeli forces. Aid convoys experience frequent delays, movement restrictions, outright denials, or cancellations. Aid trucks are entering the area at a lower rate than before the conflict began, and Israeli officials have blocked all scheduled assistance convoys to the north of Gaza in recent weeks.
Aid convoys have come under fire, and paramedics have been detained and stripped of their clothes during incidents. The UN humanitarian agency OCHA has stated that Israeli forces are systematically blocking access to people in Gaza, making it difficult to deliver aid. The Palestinian Red Crescent announced it would cease operations in Gaza for 48 hours due to Israel's failure to safeguard the safety of its emergency medical staff.
The situation is dire, with famine confirmed for the first time and acute malnutrition affecting hundreds of thousands, including children and pregnant women. Over half a million people face catastrophic conditions of starvation and destitution, with many more in emergency and crisis phases of food insecurity. Hundreds of thousands of people lack shelter in Gaza, and since the conflict began, approximately 85% of Gazans have been displaced, all of whom are suffering from severe food insecurity.
The International Rescue Committee and other agencies have condemned these restrictions as violations of International Humanitarian Law and called for the opening of all viable land crossings for large-scale, consistent, and swift aid delivery. They also emphasize the need for an immediate and sustained ceasefire to ensure safe humanitarian operations, restore essential services, and protect civilians and aid workers. The World Health Organization and UN agencies stress that access to food, fuel, medical supplies, and safe infrastructure is a basic human right urgently needed to avert further deaths and health system collapse.
References:
[1] World Health Organization. (2024). Gaza Strip: Health system collapsing amid ongoing conflict. [online] Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/28-02-2024-gaza-strip-health-system-collapsing-amid-ongoing-conflict
[2] International Rescue Committee. (2024). Gaza: Israel's policies exacerbate humanitarian crisis. [online] Available at: https://www.rescue.org/news/gaza-israels-policies-exacerbate-humanitarian-crisis
[3] United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). (2024). Gaza: Humanitarian access remains restricted. [online] Available at: https://ochaopt.org/content/gaza-humanitarian-access-remains-restricted
[4] Amnesty International. (2024). Israel: Aid delivery scheme causes forced displacement and civilian deaths in Gaza. [online] Available at: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2024/02/israel-aid-delivery-scheme-causes-forced-displacement-and-civilian-deaths-in-gaza/
[5] Human Rights Watch. (2024). Israel: Aid Delivery Scheme in Gaza Harms Civilians. [online] Available at: https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/02/26/israel-aid-delivery-scheme-gaza-harms-civilians
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