Gaza aid blockade triggers total humanitarian collapse, says UN and Red Cross

UN and Red Cross warn of famine, mass displacement, and chaos as Gaza faces full blockade.

Displaced Palestinians face ongoing humanitarian hardships at Jabalia Refugee Camp in northern Gaza on April 30, 2025. Photo by Mahmoud Issa/Anadolu

By Anna Fadiah and Hayu Andini

Two months into Israel’s total aid blockade on Gaza, humanitarian agencies are warning of a devastating collapse of relief operations and an unprecedented human catastrophe. The United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) issued stark statements on Friday, painting a harrowing picture of Gaza’s humanitarian crisis as malnourished children die, people fight over water, and hospitals run dry of supplies.

“The humanitarian response in Gaza is on the verge of total collapse,” the ICRC declared, warning that without immediate international action, “Gaza will descend further into chaos that humanitarian efforts will not be able to mitigate.”

The Gaza aid blockade, imposed by Israel on March 2, has halted virtually all international relief entering the densely populated enclave. The move came just days before a temporary ceasefire collapsed, reigniting intense hostilities in a war that has already dragged on for over 15 months.

Starvation and chaos spread in Gaza under full blockade

UN officials on the ground say the situation has rapidly deteriorated in the past eight weeks. Olga Cherevko, spokesperson for the UN humanitarian agency OCHA, delivered a chilling account from Gaza City during a video briefing in Geneva on Friday.

“Food stocks have now mainly run out,” she said. “Community kitchens have begun to shut down and more people are going hungry.” She cited multiple reports of children and vulnerable civilians dying from malnutrition and the lack of clean water.

Cherevko described witnessing horrifying scenes as people fought over limited water supplies: “Just downstairs from this building, people are killing each other over water. There’s a water truck that just arrived.”

Adding to the desperation, Cherevko said even emergency services are faltering. “Hospitals report running out of blood units as mass casualties continue to arrive. Gaza lies in ruins. Rubble fills the streets. Many nights, blood-curdling screams of the injured pierce the skies following another explosion.”

Famine fears grow as UN runs out of supplies

The World Food Programme (WFP) recently confirmed that it had distributed its last remaining food stocks. Since then, relief deliveries have virtually stopped, creating a vacuum in aid that local NGOs and communities are struggling to fill.

“This blockade is deadly,” Cherevko said, reiterating that access to food and water is not only diminishing but becoming a cause of violence. “There is simply not enough aid getting in, and what little gets through is nowhere near enough to meet the needs of 2.4 million people.”

UN agencies say famine is looming and that Gaza is already experiencing widespread food insecurity. More than half of the population is classified as facing catastrophic hunger, while hundreds of thousands are at risk of starvation without immediate assistance.

Mass displacement and attacks on civilians compound the crisis

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is further exacerbated by ongoing displacement. Cherevko estimated that over 420,000 people have been forced to flee their homes again since the brief ceasefire ended.

“These are people who have already been displaced multiple times, many of whom have nothing left. They’re being shot at while fleeing, and even the shelters they arrive at are being bombed.”

Pascal Hundt, deputy head of operations at the ICRC, echoed the concern, saying: “Civilians in Gaza are facing an overwhelming daily struggle — to survive the dangers of hostilities, cope with relentless displacement, and endure the consequences of being deprived of urgent humanitarian assistance.”

Global health experts denounce inaction

The World Health Organization (WHO) also condemned the spiraling situation. Dr. Mike Ryan, WHO emergencies director, called the crisis “an abomination.”

“We are breaking the bodies and the minds of the children of Gaza. We are starving the children of Gaza,” Ryan said Thursday, appealing for global leaders to act before it’s too late.

Cherevko issued a stinging rebuke of international silence: “Decision-makers have watched in silence the endless scenes of bloodied children, of severed limbs, of grieving parents move swiftly across their screens, month after month.”

“How much more blood must be spilled before enough becomes enough?” she asked.

Calls for international intervention grow

Humanitarian leaders are now urging the international community to pressure Israel to lift the Gaza aid blockade and allow unrestricted humanitarian access to the territory.

The Red Cross emphasized that even under the laws of war, access to food, water, and medical assistance must be preserved for civilians, regardless of the conflict’s progression.

While Israel maintains it is targeting militant groups within Gaza, critics argue that the aid restrictions amount to collective punishment and violate international humanitarian law.

Meanwhile, the UN Security Council has failed to reach a consensus on a path forward. Proposals for humanitarian corridors have stalled, and ceasefire negotiations remain deadlocked.

Gaza’s future hangs in the balance

As the humanitarian crisis worsens by the hour, those on the ground warn that Gaza is fast approaching a point of no return. The cessation of aid and continued hostilities are pushing the territory toward total societal breakdown.

Hospitals are overwhelmed, civilians are being displaced repeatedly, and the basic necessities for life — food, water, and safety — are becoming unattainable.

Gaza aid blockade not only defines the current moment but will likely remain at the heart of global debate over the coming weeks. With aid organizations sounding the alarm and images of human suffering emerging daily, the pressure on world leaders to act is mounting.

Without a dramatic policy shift and urgent intervention, humanitarian agencies fear the worst is yet to come.