The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) described the conditions in Gaza as catastrophic, highlighting the prolonged aid blockade that has left civilians without basic necessities.
“Right now is probably the worst humanitarian situation we have seen throughout the war in Gaza,” said Jens Laerke, OCHA spokesperson, during a UN press briefing in Geneva.
Laerke was responding to a question from Anadolu Agency and emphasized the urgency of the crisis.
He noted that no humanitarian assistance has entered Gaza in over 50 days, and commercial goods have been blocked for even longer.
“You can see a clear tendency towards total disaster,” Laerke said.
The blockade began on March 2, when Israel shut down Gaza’s border crossings, halting the flow of essential supplies despite growing reports of famine in the war-ravaged territory.
Israel resumed its brutal war in Gaza on March 18, breaking a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement reached on January 19.
Since the start of the war in October 2023, Israeli forces have killed more than 51,200 Palestinians, the majority of them women and children, according to local authorities.
In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant for committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Separately, Israel is also facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice over its war in the enclave.