UNITED NATIONS, August 9 WSH） — The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has sounded the alarm over what it calls a “catastrophic” humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, where no agency aid has entered for more than five months and malnutrition-related deaths are rising sharply.
“For over 150 days, not a single UNRWA truck has been allowed to deliver food, medicine, or other essentials into Gaza,” the agency said on Friday. “This denial of access is costing lives every single day.”
Rising Death Toll and Acute Hunger
Gaza’s Ministry of Health, citing UN data, reports at least 61,158 Palestinians killed and over 151,000 injured since October 2023, amid sustained Israeli bombardment and ground operations triggered by the 7 October Hamas-led attacks. Nearly 350 UNRWA staff members are among the dead.
Many civilians have died while sheltering in schools or tents, or while queuing for food. Since the start of August alone, 193 people — including 96 children — have died from malnutrition. July saw the highest monthly rate of acute malnutrition among children under five since records began.
Soaring Food Prices, Collapsing Health Care
Food insecurity is severe, with wheat flour prices up by as much as 15,000 per cent compared to pre-war levels. UNRWA stressed that “sustained, large-scale deliveries are the only way to stabilise food supplies and prices.”
Gaza’s health services are near collapse. Over half of essential medical supplies are out of stock, and hospitals are rationing fuel for generators. Despite the shortages, UNRWA teams have carried out more than 1.5 million health consultations since March. “Without resupply, our ability to save lives is dwindling,” the agency warned.
Mass Displacement Across Gaza and the West Bank
An estimated 1.9 million people — roughly 90 per cent of Gaza’s population — have been displaced, many multiple times. Nearly 100,000 people are now crammed into more than 60 UNRWA-run shelters.
In the northern Israeli-occupied West Bank, around 30,000 residents of Nur Shams, Tulkarm, and Jenin refugee camps remain unable to return home due to Israel’s “Iron Wall” military operation, ongoing since January.
Call for Immediate Humanitarian Access
UNRWA urged the international community to act immediately: “We need the world to open the crossings, stop the suffering, and uphold the most basic principles of humanity.”
The UN Security Council is set to meet in emergency session on Sunday morning in New York to discuss the Israeli cabinet’s endorsement of a military takeover of Gaza City, home to about one million Palestinians.
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