As the conflict in Gaza escalates, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has expressed growing concern over Israel’s continued blockade of humanitarian missions to northern Gaza. Philippe Lazzarini, the agency’s commissioner-general, revealed in a statement that Israel has been preventing critical supplies, including food and medicine, from reaching those most in need. Lazzarini emphasized that hospitals in Gaza have been severely impacted, left without power, and overwhelmed by the influx of injured civilians who are unable to receive adequate care.
“Hospitals have been hit and are left without power while injured people are left without care,” Lazzarini wrote on X, highlighting the gravity of the situation. The humanitarian crisis is further compounded by overcrowded shelters, where displaced families are reportedly forced to live in extreme conditions, including being confined to bathrooms. Lazzarini also cited reports that civilians attempting to flee the violence have been killed in the process.
Israeli forces have been intensifying their offensive in northern Gaza, particularly in areas such as Jabalia, where they claim Hamas fighters have regrouped. However, residents and medics in Gaza report that Israeli forces have laid siege to hospitals and shelters housing displaced civilians. The Israeli military has defended its actions, stating that it is facilitating civilian evacuations and ensuring that hospitals remain operational. However, reports on the ground paint a starkly different picture.
Medical personnel at the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza reported a particularly alarming incident, where Israeli troops allegedly stormed a school, detained men, and set the building ablaze. Palestinian media also reported that Israeli artillery fire struck a camp for displaced people in Jabalia, killing at least ten civilians. Among the casualties were women and children, their bodies captured in graphic videos circulated by local journalists.
These harrowing reports come amid an increasingly dire humanitarian situation. Despite the Israeli military’s claim that aid is being transferred into northern Gaza, UN officials state that access has been severely restricted. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that no aid was allowed into northern Gaza during the first two weeks of October, and only a trickle has made it through since.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) echoed these concerns, describing the suffering of the estimated 400,000 people trapped in northern Gaza as “unimaginable.” Stephanie Eller, an ICRC representative, noted that hospitals are collapsing under the strain of too many patients, compounded by a lack of electricity, fuel, and water supplies. People are desperate for food, medical care, and, above all, a break from the relentless hostilities.
The humanitarian organizations operating in the region have called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and unfettered access to aid. As northern Gaza teeters on the edge of catastrophe, the international community is urged to respond swiftly to prevent further loss of life and alleviate the suffering of civilians caught in the crossfire of an ever-worsening conflict.
Conclusion:
As the situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, the world watches in horror as civilian lives are shattered by violence and deprivation. The urgent appeals from UNRWA, OCHA, and the ICRC emphasize the immediate need for humanitarian corridors and aid to prevent a complete collapse of essential services in Gaza. Time is running out for the tens of thousands of innocent people trapped in the conflict zone, with every passing moment deepening the crisis.
