The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has issued an urgent warning over the severe deterioration of humanitarian conditions in Gaza, where a complete blockade and relentless Israeli attacks have left 2.2 million Palestinians on the verge of famine. Eighteen months of escalating violence and restrictions have devastated daily life, depriving civilians of food, clean water, and essential medical care.

The collapse of the ceasefire has only worsened the situation, with aid blockades persisting and local food production crippled by the destruction of farmland and fishing areas. As humanitarian convoys struggle to enter the territory, over 70% of Gaza’s population now faces acute food insecurity. Hospitals are overwhelmed with cases of severe malnutrition, and families are often left without meals for days.

The High Commissioner condemned the intensification of Israeli attacks, which have obliterated homes, schools, and healthcare facilities, while the destruction of water and sanitation systems has triggered outbreaks of disease. In the West Bank, Palestinian communities are similarly enduring mounting settler violence and forced displacement, deepening the humanitarian catastrophe.

The UN has called on the international community to act urgently, demanding the lifting of the blockade and the immediate protection of Palestinian civilians. Without swift and decisive intervention, Gaza risks descending into a full-scale famine, with its healthcare and social structures on the brink of collapse. As the siege tightens, the world’s silence becomes ever more complicit in Gaza’s unfolding tragedy.