Over 47,000 Lives Lost in Gaza, Majority Women and Children

What is going on in Gaza?

With the recent ceasefire in place, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza remains dire and cannot be alleviated by aid alone. Humanitarian agencies must urgently accelerate the delivery of assistance to Gaza and ensure its safe and equitable distribution. Although the violence has temporarily paused, lives still hang in the balance. We must prioritise alleviating the immense suffering, protecting civilian lives, and upholding human dignity.

 

Explanation of the Food Crisis in Gaza

Despite the ceasefire, humanitarian aid—including food, water, medicine, and shelter—continues to fall short of the needs of Gaza’s 2.2 million inhabitants. While some supplies trickle through the Rafah border, they are grossly insufficient.

 

Skyrocketing inflation has rendered basic staples unaffordable. In desperation, animal feed has replaced flour in some areas, yet even this is prohibitively expensive. In parts of Gaza, prices have surged by as much as 3,000%.

 

As a result, extreme food insecurity now affects the entire population of Gaza. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a globally recognised authority, predicts famine in Gaza if conditions do not improve.

 

Overview of Events in Gaza

With the ceasefire in effect, the devastation left in its wake persists:

• Threat of famine: The IPC warns of an impending famine, unless immediate action is taken.
• Casualties: Over 47,000 people have been killed in Gaza, with more than 75,000 injured. The West Bank has also suffered, with 430 deaths and 4,690 injuries.
• Advocacy for solutions: Mirjana Spoljaric, President of the ICRC, emphasises the urgent need for political solutions, asserting that humanitarian aid alone is insufficient to address the crisis.

Communities on both sides bear the scars of this violence, but the scale of destruction in Gaza is unparalleled.

 

Are Any Hospitals Operational in Gaza?

Gaza’s healthcare system is in a state of near-total collapse. The few remaining hospitals, already overwhelmed, face relentless challenges from shortages of fuel, medicines, and equipment.

 

The recent closure of the Palestine Red Crescent’s Al-Amal Hospital in southern Gaza has left civilians with even fewer options. This follows the destruction of nearly all hospitals in the north, where safe access is no longer possible. For many, the collapse of healthcare services spells a death sentence.

 

How Many People Are Displaced in Gaza?

Over 75% of Gaza’s population has been displaced. Many have fled from the north to the south, with 1.5 million people now crammed into less than 20% of Gaza’s territory. Rafah, in particular, is overwhelmed, with many individuals displaced as many as five times.

Living conditions are dire, with severe shortages of water, sanitation, and electricity. For these displaced families, there is no safe haven—only overcrowded shelters and fear for the future.

 

Is Food Being Distributed in Gaza?

The distribution of food remains critically insufficient. Although aid organisations such as the Palestine Red Crescent Society, Egyptian Red Crescent Society, and ICRC stand ready to deliver essential supplies, the volume of aid entering Gaza remains far below what is needed.

Prior to the conflict, 400 to 500 aid trucks crossed into Gaza daily. To meet current needs, significantly more aid must flow regularly and securely into Gaza to reach the most vulnerable communities.

 

Would Maritime Corridors Aid in Delivering Aid to Gaza?

While maritime corridors have been discussed, land routes remain the most efficient and effective way to deliver aid to Gaza. Humanitarian operations were previously structured to handle and distribute hundreds of truckloads of aid daily.

 

Restoring and scaling up land-based aid delivery is the fastest way to meet the enormous needs of Gaza’s population. For this to happen, established road routes must be reopened to allow the safe passage of trucks carrying life-saving supplies.