Israel’s decision to block all humanitarian aid into Gaza is a reckless escalation and a blatant violation of international humanitarian law. Over two million civilians, already facing starvation and extreme deprivation, are now being deliberately cut off from lifesaving assistance, including food, medicine, fuel, and now also clean water. This action directly defies the binding provisional measures issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which ordered Israel to facilitate the delivery of urgently needed aid into Gaza. The international community must act to end Israel’s deliberate obstruction of humanitarian relief, which amounts to collective punishment and the use of starvation as a weapon of war – a grave breach of the Geneva Conventions and a war crime under international law.
For over 15 months of hostilities, up until the beginning of the ceasefire, Israel has severely restricted and obstructed humanitarian access to Gaza. The recent ceasefire, though imperfect, provided a brief window for humanitarian operations to scale up. In just six weeks, aid organisations delivered food and medicine, reopened medical facilities, and launched vaccination campaigns. During this period, humanitarian actors demonstrated that when they are finally given an enabling environment, they can do their jobs and deliver. And Israel proved that enabling the delivery of aid was only a matter of will, a reality it has now underscored by choosing to use humanitarian aid as a negotiation tactic.
The claim that Gaza was “flooded with aid” is both misleading and dangerous – while humanitarian actors worked to expand operations, the assistance that reached Gaza was nowhere sufficient to meet the overwhelming needs. Hunger, medical shortages, and the widespread lack of adequate shelter persisted throughout the ceasefire and have further worsened with Israel’s decision to impose a complete blockade. This exacerbates an already catastrophic situation, depriving civilians of even the limited relief that had been reaching them. The situation is now even more dire with Israel shutting off the last remaining supply of electricity, which had been critical for the operation of a desalination plant.
The full blockade comes just as Muslims in Gaza begin observing Ramadan, a time meant for peace and community. Instead, hundreds of thousands of displaced people remain without sufficient food, adequate shelter, or access to essential medical care. What the people of Gaza require is more assistance, not less.
The Palestinian Non-Governmental Network (PNGO) and the Association of International Development Agencies (AIDA) jointly call for the full and immediate restoration of humanitarian access and an end to all forms of collective punishment.
Humanitarian aid is not a bargaining chip. It is a fundamental right. The international community must act now.
The Palestinian NGO Network (PNGO)
The Association of International Development Agencies (AIDA)
