The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has warned that the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached catastrophic levels, describing the situation as beyond description amid continued Israeli bombardment and severe restrictions on aid access.

Inas Hamdan, head of UNRWA’s Media Office in Gaza, said the Strip is facing unbearable conditions, with widespread displacement, rising casualties, and a sharp deterioration in food and health security. She stressed that Gaza needs no fewer than 600 trucks of aid daily to meet urgent needs, far beyond the handful allowed to enter. Limited deliveries of food, water, medicine, and fuel are entirely insufficient to address the growing threat of famine and disease.

Hamdan warned that any disruption to UNRWA’s work due to Israeli restrictions would severely deepen the crisis, leaving civilians without access to vital aid. She said only a full lifting of the blockade and the opening of crossings can prevent further disaster.

Despite mounting international calls for a ceasefire, Israeli forces continue their attacks across the Strip. Humanitarian agencies have raised alarms over the risk of imminent famine, particularly among children and displaced families, with medical and relief infrastructure on the brink of collapse.

The United Nations reports that over 116,000 tonnes of food remain blocked from entering Gaza. While Israel and the United States promote alternative aid mechanisms, the UN has rejected these efforts as politicised and harmful, warning they serve military aims rather than humanitarian need.

Since the beginning of the war on 7 October 2023, more than 174,000 Palestinians have been killed or injured, the majority women and children. Over 11,000 remain missing, and hundreds of thousands have been forcibly displaced under ongoing siege and bombardment