Israel has prevented 83% of food aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip, according to a statement issued by 16 United Nations humanitarian organisations, nearly a year after the onset of intensified conflict in the besieged region. The Palestinian Information Centre reported the release, highlighting the devastating impact on the population.
The statement revealed a sharp increase in blocked aid, rising from 34% in 2023. As a result, the average daily food intake for Gazans has plummeted from two meals a day to one meal every other day. This dramatic shortfall has had a particularly severe effect on children, with around 50,000 children aged between 6 and 59 months requiring urgent treatment for malnutrition by the end of the year.
Key organisations, including Save the Children, Oxfam, and the Danish Refugee Council, underscored the critical need for aid distribution, noting that humanitarian assistance is the only viable lifeline under the current conditions. They also reported delays in the coordination of aid efforts, with only 37 of 94 planned missions in northern Gaza and 50% of the 243 missions in southern Gaza being completed between 1-15 September.
The statement further condemned the ongoing humanitarian violations in Gaza, where civilians continue to endure daily hardships and escalating violence. The conflict has now entered its 348th consecutive day, with widespread destruction and loss of life among the Palestinian population.