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“The ongoing siege in Gaza represents a profound humanitarian crisis, especially for vulnerable groups such as children and the elderly,” stated Juliette Touma, spokesperson for the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA.
“Families are faced with dire choices, often having to divide a single can of beans or peas among multiple members,” she elaborated during a press conference in Geneva. “Imagine the desperation of having nothing to provide for your children. Many children in Gaza are going to bed without food.”
Currently, thousands of trucks laden with essential relief supplies are still barred from entering Gaza. “We have over 5,000 trucks loaded with lifesaving supplies ready at various locations in the region,” Ms. Touma emphasized.
“This blockade is crippling our humanitarian efforts… posing a severe threat to the lives and well-being of civilians in Gaza, who endure relentless bombardments every day.”
Devastation in Rafah
The southern city of Rafah has been described as “obliterated,” according to UNRWA. Once the largest entry point for aid from Egypt, recent aerial imagery allegedly depicting Rafah reveals a landscape of total destruction.
“Rafah has transformed beyond recognition… It is a city consumed by devastation,” the agency reported.
Nearly all of the residents have been forced to evacuate, with 97 percent of the city under displacement orders, affecting around 150,000 people.
In the past year, military actions have displaced 1.4 million individuals, leading to considerable damage to homes, healthcare facilities, and shelter.
Rebuilding from the ashes
Throughout Gaza, over 90 percent of the population has experienced displacement, often multiple times; “some individuals have been displaced as many as 12 or 13 times… meaning they must constantly rebuild their lives from scratch,” Ms. Touma stated.
Prior to the outbreak of conflict in October 2023, Gazans depended on the entry of 500 trucks daily for essential food and goods. However, since March 2, no humanitarian or commercial supplies have crossed into the region.
This marks the longest period without aid since hostilities intensified following violent Hamas-led attacks on Israel in October 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,250 fatalities and more than 250 individuals taken hostage.
The stringent blockade has depleted warehouses of food, medical supplies, and clean drinking water, leading to a burgeoning black market where prices have skyrocketed—some items increasing by 10 to 40 times. “You are left powerless as you see your children go hungry,” Ms. Touma noted.
According to the UN World Food Programme (WFP), food prices surged by an astonishing 1,400 percent recently compared to the ceasefire period from January 19 to March 18, 2025.
Just last Friday, the WFP distributed its remaining provisions to community kitchens that prepare meals such as lentil soup and rice. These kitchens are expected to exhaust their food supplies in a matter of days, with another 16 having closed over the weekend. All 25 WFP-supported bakeries have also ceased operations.
“As supplies dwindle, we foresee more community kitchens shutting down,” Ms. Touma explained.
Daily struggles for Gaza’s residents include sourcing food and cooking fuel due to the severe shortage of cooking gas. “Families are resorting to burning plastic to prepare their meals,” Ms. Touma of UNRWA remarked.
Source
news.un.org