As famine tightens its grip on Gaza, Palestinians are calling out what they describe as a calculated effort to use aid as a tool of oppression. Philippe Lazzarini, head of UNRWA, delivered a damning indictment this weekend, declaring that the current aid mechanism, backed by both the U.S. and Israel, has become a death trap rather than a lifeline.

Speaking at the OIC summit in Istanbul, Lazzarini accused Israel of using food to strip Palestinians of their dignity, warning that two million people are being deliberately starved. His message echoed what many in Gaza have long been saying: that aid is being politicised, manipulated, and turned into yet another weapon of war.

Palestinians see the so-called aid corridors not as a gesture of mercy, but as part of a broader campaign to erase their rights and sever their link to their homeland. Scenes of civilians gunned down near food distribution points, including children and the elderly, only reinforce this belief. Since late May, hundreds have been killed or wounded trying to access basic supplies, an unthinkable toll for those already living in rubble.

Even UNRWA itself has become a target, with its staff harassed and detained. Yet despite all odds, they remain on the ground, a lifeline to a people under siege. In both Gaza and the West Bank, Palestinians now face the cruel reality of displacement, starvation, and international indifference, all under the guise of humanitarian assistance.