Rising Hunger In Gaza Highlights Urgent Need For ‘Unfettered' Aid Supplies
11 June 2025
Only around 6,000 tonnes of wheat flour have entered the war-torn enclave since Israel began to allow limited supplies back in last month.
However, 10,000 tonnes are urgently needed in the face of rising malnutrition, according to the UN aid coordination office OCHA.
' The only way to address the situation on the ground is by re-opening additional crossings,' said OCHA's Olga Cherevko, speaking to UN News from Khan Younis.
Beyond food aid
She also stressed the need to allow 'unlimited and unfettered supply of aid to enter,' which includes items that go beyond food such as shelter materials, fuel, cooking gas, 'and other necessary elements to sustain life in Gaza.'
Ms. Cherevko urged the Israeli authorities to make the task of delivering aid easier by 'providing a safe and enabling environment,' reducing waiting times for humanitarian missions and ensuring access to people in need.
People in Gaza are suffering from harsh living conditions. Since March, Israeli restrictions on border crossings have tightened, making it even more difficult for Gaza's population – more than two million people - to access food.
Senior UN officials, including Secretary-General António Guterres and Humanitarian Affairs chief Tom Fletcher, have described the aid that has entered as merely 'a trickle' or a 'a drop in the ocean'.
Difficult decisions
Although markets are crowded with people, they lack two essential elements: liquidity and goods.
Most residents thus face three bitter choices: either seek food aid from the newly established US and Israel-backed distribution mechanism, which has already claimed dozens of lives in recent days; watch their children starve; or pay dearly for what's left of the goods and looted humanitarian aid in markets.
'Prices are unnatural, much higher than in Europe,' civil servant Akram Yousef recently told our UN News correspondent in Gaza.
'The situation is very difficult, and we have been like this for two years. In addition to displacement, homelessness, bombing, destruction, and devastation, traders are raising prices, and citizens are unable to bear this burden. What can we do?'
More than 20 months of conflict have made living conditions in the Gaza Strip unbearable, and the cost of living is now among the highest in the world.
Ahmed Al-Bahri, who was displaced from Beit Lahia with his family, said a loaf of bread now sells for seven shekels, or roughly $2.
' There is no flour, no milk, no diapers for children, or anything to eat,' he said. 'We live in a state of constant hunger. Where can I get seven shekels to buy a loaf of bread for my child? What is this child's sin?'
Exorbitant fees
The cessation of Palestinian banks' operations since the start of the war in October 2023 has exacerbated the suffering.
People are forced to use phone apps to withdraw money from their bank accounts and to access their pensions through local merchants who charge exorbitant commissions.
Mr. Youssef, the civil servant, said the commission for withdrawing his salary was 20 per cent, but over time it has increased to nearly 50 per cent.
'We have become envious of the dead'
Several residents told UN News that the price of one kilogramme of flour is now 100 shekels, equivalent to roughly $29.
"If a salary is 2,000 shekels, it becomes 1,000 shekels after commission,' another man, Ashraf Al-Deiri, explained.
'The daily expenses of an average or small family are no less than 500 shekels (roughly $143). So, we are experiencing great suffering and need someone to have mercy on us and stand by us."
A young man called Raed Tafesh expressed shock over the high prices, especially since most of his peers are unemployed and lack any source of income.
' We don't earn a single shekel. We are not employed, and we don't have jobs. We are dying slowly. We have become envious of the dead," he said.
The tragic conditions are reflected in the eyes of mothers and fathers who see their children starving, such as Nimir Ghazal. She said her salary is not even enough to buy fruits, vegetables or any healthy food for her children.
'Sometimes I cry when my hungry children ask for a piece of bread. A kilo of flour costs 100 shekels, and lentils cost 50. One kilo is not enough for my family, but I buy it and share it among them,' she said.
UN efforts continue
On Monday, UN teams were able to collect some supplies, mainly flour, from the Kerem Shalom border crossing. The aid was bound for Gaza City when hungry and desperate people snatched it directly from the trucks.
There have also been previous instances of looting and attacks on truck drivers which the UN categorically rejects.
OCHA has emphasized that Israel, as the occupying power, bears responsibility for maintaining public order and safety in Gaza. This should include allowing more essential supplies to enter through multiple crossings and roads to meet humanitarian needs and help curb looting.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scoop
a day ago
- Scoop
Gaza: As Last Fuel Supplies Run Out, Aid Teams Warn Of Catastrophe
19 June 2025 Speaking from Gaza City in the north of occupied territory, Olga Cherevko from the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, said that water pumps had stopped at one site for displaced people there on Wednesday 'because there's no fuel'. 'We are really - unless the situation changes - hours away from a catastrophic decline and a shutdown of more facilities if no fuel enters or more fuel isn't retrieved immediately,' she told UN News. In its latest update on the emergency, OCHA said that without the immediate entry of fuel or access to reserves, 80 per cent of Gaza's critical care units essential for births and medical emergencies will shut down. More killed seeking aid The development comes as Gaza's authorities reported that 15 people had been killed near an aid distribution hub in the centre of the Strip on Thursday. On Tuesday, unverified videos of another incident circulating on social media showed dead bodies lying in the street near a relief facility in the southern city of Khan Younis, reportedly following artillery fire. Finding food is a daily challenge for increasingly desperate Gazans who are ' simply waiting for food and hoping to find something in order not to watch their children starve in front of their eyes ', Ms. Cherevko explained. She added: 'I spoke with a woman a couple of days ago where she told me that she went with a friend of hers who is nine months pregnant in hopes of finding some food. Of course, they didn't manage because they were too afraid to enter areas where there could be incidents like the ones that have been reported over the past few days.' Search for shelter Back in Gaza City, OCHA's Ms. Cherenko said that conditions in shelters in Gaza are now 'absolutely horrific' and increasingly crowded - 'there are people coming from the north constantly,' the veteran aid worker added, while others are also moving back northwards, likely to be closer to the entry points for aid convoys. The amount of aid entering Gaza today remains extremely limited and far below the 600 trucks a day that used to reach the enclave before the war began in October 2023. In its latest update, OCHA reported that 'starvation and a growing likelihood of famine' are ever-present in the enclave. An estimated 55,000 pregnant women now face miscarriage, stillbirth and undernourished newborns as a result of the food shortages. Starvation diet 'With the very limited volume of aid that is entering, everyone continues to face starvation and people are constantly risking their lives to try to find something,' Ms. Cherevko continued. ' You eat or [you're] left with the choice of starving to death.' After more than 20 months of war, sparked by Hamas-led terror attacks in Israel, 82 per cent of Gaza's territory is either an Israeli militarized zone or affected by evacuation orders. Three months since hostilities re-escalated on 18 March, more than 680,000 people have been newly displaced. 'With no safe place to go, many people have sought refuge in every available space, including overcrowded displacement sites, makeshift shelters, damaged buildings, streets and open areas,' OCHA said.
Scoop
4 days ago
- Scoop
From Himalayan Melt To Drowning Shores, Children Lead The Climate Fight
16 June 2025 For young people living on the frontlines, climate change disrupts education, health and safety, casting a pall of uncertainty over the future. As countries race to meet climate goals, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) is stepping in to ensure that children's voices are not just heard, but central to shaping solutions. UN News spoke with the heads of UNICEF in Nepal and the Maldives to explore how the agency is empowering youth, embedding climate resilience in schools and driving child-inclusive climate action. A daily reality In a remote village in western Nepal, 11-year-old Sabu and her friends face danger daily on their way to school. Intensifying and unpredictable rains trigger landslides that wash away roads, and floods that submerge homes and farmland. ' Children live with anxiety and uncertainty. When it rains and there are floods, they have to trek, bridges are overrun, roads are muddy – and this is what they have to walk through day after day.' ' It becomes a huge burden for children to carry, ' says Alice Akunga, UNICEF Representative in Nepal. Thousands of kilometers away, in the low-lying Maldives, the threat takes a different but equally devastating form. Sea surges erode coastlines, flood homes and wash away infrastructure. ' Erosion is a daily reality for children here …young people see their trees falling, homes at risk and they grow up with the constant fear of losing their islands,' explains Edward Addai, UNICEF Representative in the Maldives. ' Climate change is not something far-off – it is part of their lives. ' Kids at the heart of climate action UNICEF's work in both countries is guided by a simple principle: children must be at the heart of climate solutions. This means not only shielding them from impacts but also empowering them to be agents of change. In Nepal, with the support of UN agencies, the government has integrated climate change education into the national curriculum. Classes go beyond theory, with teacher training, green school initiatives and practical actions like rainwater harvesting and waste management. 'We are supporting updating school safety frameworks…making them more resilient and absorb climate shocks such as heavy rains or floods,' Ms. Akunga said. At the recently concluded Sagarmatha Sambaad – the Everest climate talks – UNICEF supported a national youth-led dialogue that brought together over 100 children and young people from across Nepal to engage with policymakers and submit a Children and Youth Declaration to the Prime Minister. Youth leadership beyond classrooms In the Maldives, the agency's approach emphasises community engagement alongside education. UNICEF has helped establish environmental clubs in schools, providing safe spaces for children to learn, discuss and act on climate issues. It is also working with the health system to introduce solar energy to hospitals, supplanting fossil fuels. 'These clubs are critical for nurturing leadership and connecting school activities to community projects,' Mr. Addai added. Young people are also at the centre of the Government's climate plans, engaging in direct dialogue with policymakers and strengthening intergenerational accountability. One such initiative is the Youth Track to COP, a platform co-led by UNICEF and government partners to prepare young people to meaningfully engage in national and global climate discussions. Safeguarding the next generation UNICEF is also supporting efforts to integrate child-sensitive policies into the countries' Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) – the climate pledges under the Paris Agreement. Nepal's pledges include commitments to green schools and climate-resilient educational infrastructure. Children were actively involved in the consultations for Nepal's latest NDC, sharing firsthand stories of how climate impacts their daily lives. The Maldives' emphasises youth engagement, clean water access and strengthened health systems in climate-vulnerable areas. Young people are also shaping policy through national mock COPs and direct participation in global climate forums. This ensures that resilience efforts will extend beyond infrastructure to cover children's health, education and mental wellbeing. Getting it right, for everyone The UNICEF officials emphasised what a truly child-inclusive climate plan requires. ' It recognises how climate change impacts every aspect of a child's life – from their lungs to their learning to their access to clean water,' Ms. Akunga said. 'It ensures children can keep receiving health services, continue learning and adapt without anxiety or uncertainty. It's about securing their survival, growth, and development no matter what climate shocks come.' Mr. Edward added: ' If we get it right for children, we get it right for society.' 'Children are the future caretakers of their land and communities. A climate plan that ignores children's realities will fail everyone. But when children are healthy, educated, and included, society thrives,' Children leading the way Ms. Akunga recalled meeting Sabu, the 11-year-old girl, on a field visit. 'I met this child. I went to her village and met her parents… she has taken it upon herself and mobilised other young girls to learn about medicinal plants – how to nurture them and protect them from extreme weather conditions.' She spoke of how Sabu is transferring knowledge from elders to peers – bridging generations – and impressing her community with her passion. Despite the daunting challenges, children like Sabu are stepping up. They are organizing themselves, advocating for change and proposing solutions. 'Their voices matter… children are not just affected by climate change — they are essential partners in responding to it,' Ms. Akunga affirmed.
Scoop
6 days ago
- Scoop
Humanitarians Must Be Able To Deliver Aid In Gaza, UN Agencies Insist
13 June 2025 The humanitarian network is currently at a standstill because the internet shut down earlier this week after the last fibre cable route serving central and southern areas was cut during heavy fighting. ' As the outage continues, partners are unable to communicate or coordinate response activities, and people in need remain isolated and without the information they need to access life-saving support and emergency services,' UN aid coordination office OCHA said in an update. Connectivity a life or death issue Restoring connectivity is urgent. OCHA said the Israeli military recently posted a warning on social media where areas marked in red on a map are considered dangerous combat zones, calling on people to stay away from them. Although these areas apparently cover most of the Gaza Strip's territory, most people have no way to access the announcement. Meanwhile, partners working on telecommunications continue efforts to coordinate urgent repairs of the fibre optic cable routes in Gaza, including those that were previously damaged. However, since April, Israeli authorities have denied more than 20 requests to carry out this work. 'It is critical that repair of the lines is enabled immediately,' OCHA said. Humanitarian missions denied The agency further reported that the Israeli authorities continue to deny many humanitarian movements aimed at providing support to Gaza's population, which numbers over two million. On Thursday, they rejected eight out of 18 UN attempts to coordinate such movements, including efforts to retrieve wheat flour and fuel supplies. Four other missions were unable to be accomplished, either because of impediments or because they had to be cancelled for security or logistical reasons. The remaining six missions, which included the movement of staff, were successful. 'Recipe for chaos' Conditions continue to deteriorate in Gaza after 20 months of war followed by a total blockade of aid and commercial goods which began on 2 March. People are crammed in shelters, or living in tents, and lack basic essentials. For example, the accumulation of solid waste is severely impacting health and environmental conditions, the UN Palestine refugee agency UNRWA said on Friday. Israel temporarily lifted the ban in mid-May, and the UN was able to bring in small amounts of key aid items such as flour and medicines – though far from enough to prevent starvation from impacting the population. Since late May, the UN and partners have been sidelined as a new aid distribution model began operations. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which is backed by Israel and the United States, uses private military contractors, according to media reports. More than 200 people have been killed, and thousands more injured by gunfire near its hubs. The mechanism is ' a recipe for chaos,' UNRWA tweeted on Friday, echoing the words of its chief Philippe Lazzarini. ' It is weaponising aid and resulting in fear, discrimination, and growing desperation,' the agency said. 'It is time to lift the siege and let the UN, including UNRWA, do the work. Aid must be delivered safely and at scale.' 'Hunger must never be met by bullets' The UN Humanitarian Affairs Coordinator Tom Fletcher underscored the need to act now in a statement issued late on Thursday. 'Hunger must never be met with bullets,' he said. 'Humanitarians must be allowed to do their work. Lifesaving aid must reach people in need, in line with humanitarian principles.' Mr. Fletcher said attacks against civilians in Gaza 'are unacceptable', which includes the killing and injury of hungry people seeking food and those delivering aid. He said UN humanitarian convoys have been intercepted by armed Palestinian gangs, endangering staff and drivers. 'Civilians in desperate need of the food we're able to bring in, have not been spared; some have been shot by Israeli forces, and others crushed by trucks or stabbed while trying to retrieve food,' he added. Let humanitarians work He also mentioned incidents 'concentrated around militarized distribution centres, where starving people tell us that Israeli forces opened fire on them.' ' Hospitals report that they have received 245 fatalities and over 2,150 injuries from these areas over the past two weeks,' he said. Furthermore, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation said on Thursday that Palestinians involved in their distribution were killed, injured, and captured by Hamas. 'Without immediate and massively scaled-up access to the basic means of survival, we risk a descent into famine, further chaos, and the loss of more lives,' the UN relief chief warned. 'We stand ready, as we have repeatedly emphasized, to deliver life-saving aid at scale,' he said. 'Let us do our work.'
