Palestinians Require Sustenance, Not Platitudes

The current situation in Gaza has escalated beyond warning signs; it represents a grave humanitarian crisis.

For over two months now, all forms of humanitarian aid and commercial imports into Gaza have been halted by Israel. The World Food Program was able to distribute its last batches of essential food supplies on April 25. Now, the population of Gaza, which includes two million residents—half of whom are children—subsists on limited meals once every two to three days.

Our organization, American Near East Refugee Aid, operates makeshift clinics where the signs of malnutrition are increasingly apparent and concerning. Within the last ten days, nearly one-third of urine samples have shown ketones, a clear marker of starvation—a level we had not witnessed before we began assessments in October 2024. Supplies including food, fuel, and medication are depleted, or on the brink of exhaustion.

Time is of the essence, and every moment lost without the necessary access and political support to deliver help means more lives pushed to the brink of survival, causing indescribable agony.

Through the continuous conflict, Gaza faces its most severe blockade yet. Israel's use of aid as a pressure mechanism—intended to force Hamas into releasing captives—is in direct defiance of international law. Such actions sow anxiety among Palestinians who suspect this strategy aims to expel them from their homeland, as aid organizations caution about enforced displacement.

The blockade imposed by Israel is a calculated methodology of deprivation, marked by intentional logistical roadblocks, security holdups, and outright refusals. The temporary cease-fire established in January fell short in relieving the humanitarian demand. From January 19, aid showed an uptick, only to face abrupt cessation again by March. The premise of exploiting hunger as a bargaining chip is stark and thoughtless.