The food is just outside the border. But getting it to Gaza's starving is a chaotic process

Published in Food and Wine on Saturday, July 26th 2025 at 11:07 GMT by nbcnews.com
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Crossing the border into Gaza is just one hurdle in a broken distribution chain obstructed by complex bureaucratic processes, civil disorder and deadly shootings.

Gaza's Hunger Crisis: Starvation Grips the Enclave Amid Aid Distribution Challenges and Ongoing Conflict

In the war-torn Gaza Strip, a dire humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding as widespread starvation threatens the lives of millions, exacerbated by severe restrictions on aid deliveries and the relentless Israeli military campaign against Hamas. Residents, humanitarian workers, and international observers paint a harrowing picture of families scavenging for scraps, children wasting away from malnutrition, and a population pushed to the brink of famine. The crisis has intensified in recent months, with aid organizations warning that without immediate and unrestricted access, Gaza could face one of the worst hunger emergencies in modern history.

At the heart of the issue is the bottleneck in aid distribution, primarily controlled by Israel, which has imposed stringent security checks on incoming supplies. Trucks laden with food, medicine, and other essentials often face lengthy delays at border crossings like Kerem Shalom and Rafah, where Israeli authorities inspect cargoes to prevent any materials that could benefit Hamas militants. While Israel maintains that these measures are necessary for security, critics argue they are overly burdensome and contribute directly to the suffering inside Gaza. For instance, convoys that do make it through are frequently targeted by desperate crowds or disrupted by ongoing fighting, leading to chaotic scenes where aid is looted before it reaches distribution centers.

Personal accounts from Gazans highlight the human toll of this crisis. In northern Gaza, where the fighting has been most intense, families like that of Ahmed al-Masri, a father of four, describe days without proper meals. "We boil weeds and leaves just to fill our stomachs," al-Masri told reporters via a rare phone connection. "My youngest son is so weak he can barely stand." Similar stories emerge from refugee camps in the south, where displaced Palestinians queue for hours at United Nations-run facilities, only to receive meager portions of canned goods or flour. Malnutrition rates have skyrocketed, with the World Health Organization reporting that one in six children under two in northern Gaza suffers from acute malnutrition. Hospitals, already overwhelmed by war injuries, are now treating cases of severe dehydration and starvation-related illnesses, stretching limited resources to their limits.

The roots of this food insecurity trace back to the escalation of the Israel-Hamas war following the October 7 attacks, which killed over 1,200 Israelis and led to the abduction of hundreds. In response, Israel launched a massive aerial and ground offensive, imposing a near-total blockade on Gaza that initially cut off electricity, fuel, and most supplies. While some restrictions have been eased under international pressure, the flow of aid remains a fraction of what is needed. Pre-war, Gaza relied on about 500 trucks of goods daily; now, even on good days, only 100 to 200 cross the borders, according to UN estimates. This shortfall has driven food prices to astronomical levels inside the enclave, with a single bag of flour costing hundreds of dollars on the black market—if it's available at all.

Humanitarian agencies, including the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), have repeatedly sounded the alarm. UNRWA's commissioner-general, Philippe Lazzarini, described the situation as "man-made," pointing to deliberate policies that hinder aid. "We have the food, we have the trucks, but we can't get them in," he said in a recent briefing. The agency has faced its own challenges, including accusations from Israel that some staff were involved in the October 7 attacks, leading to funding cuts from several countries. Despite this, UNRWA continues to operate soup kitchens and distribution points, but workers report increasing dangers, with aid convoys coming under fire and warehouses being bombed.

Israel, for its part, denies responsibility for the starvation crisis, asserting that it facilitates aid entry and that the real problem lies with distribution inside Gaza. Israeli officials blame Hamas for hoarding supplies or diverting them for military use, and they point to instances where aid trucks have been hijacked by armed groups. "We are not blocking humanitarian aid; we are ensuring it doesn't end up in the hands of terrorists," said a spokesperson for the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), the Israeli body overseeing Gaza crossings. They highlight efforts like airdrops and maritime corridors, such as the U.S.-built pier off Gaza's coast, which has delivered some aid but faced operational setbacks due to rough seas and security issues.

Yet, these initiatives have done little to alleviate the widespread hunger. In Khan Younis and other central areas, markets that once bustled with fresh produce now stand empty, replaced by makeshift stalls selling whatever scraps can be found. Livestock has been slaughtered en masse for immediate consumption, depleting future food sources. Fishermen, restricted by Israeli naval blockades, can no longer venture far enough to catch sufficient fish, further straining protein supplies. The environmental toll is also mounting, with untreated sewage and debris contaminating water sources, leading to outbreaks of diseases like hepatitis that compound malnutrition's effects.

International calls for action have grown louder. The United States, a key ally of Israel, has urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to allow more aid, with President Joe Biden warning of potential conditions on military support if the humanitarian situation doesn't improve. European nations and Arab states have pushed for cease-fires to enable safe aid delivery, while the International Court of Justice has ordered Israel to take measures to prevent genocide in Gaza, including ensuring food access. Despite these pressures, negotiations for a truce remain stalled, with both sides accusing the other of intransigence.

Compounding the crisis is the displacement of nearly the entire population of 2.3 million Gazans, many of whom have fled multiple times as Israeli forces advance. In Rafah, the southern city that has become a last refuge for over a million people, tent cities sprawl across sandy dunes, where families cook over open fires using scavenged wood. Aid workers describe scenes of desperation: children rummaging through garbage for edible waste, elderly residents collapsing from exhaustion, and mothers unable to breastfeed due to their own malnutrition.

Experts warn that without a massive scale-up in aid—potentially requiring the opening of additional crossings and the cessation of hostilities—Gaza could tip into full-scale famine by summer. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a global hunger monitoring system, has classified parts of Gaza as facing "catastrophic" hunger, the highest level, where households experience extreme food gaps and high mortality rates. "This is not just about food; it's about survival," said Cindy McCain, executive director of the World Food Programme. "We're seeing the early signs of famine, and it's entirely preventable."

As the conflict drags on into its seventh month, the starvation crisis in Gaza serves as a stark reminder of war's broader human costs. Beyond the immediate deaths from airstrikes and ground battles—estimated at over 30,000 Palestinians— the slow violence of hunger is claiming lives in quieter, more insidious ways. Families are forced to make impossible choices: risk venturing into dangerous areas for food or watch loved ones weaken. Humanitarian pauses, while occasionally implemented, offer only temporary relief, often interrupted by renewed fighting.

Looking ahead, resolving the aid impasse will require not just logistical fixes but political will. Proposals include third-party oversight of distributions to ensure transparency and security, as well as international guarantees for safe passages. Some advocates call for airlifting supplies directly to northern Gaza, bypassing ground routes altogether. However, without a lasting cease-fire, these measures may only provide band-aid solutions to a wound that continues to deepen.

In the words of one Gaza resident, a teacher named Fatima Hussein, "We are not animals to be fed scraps. We are people, and we deserve dignity." Her plea echoes the sentiments of many, as the world watches a population teeter on the edge of an avoidable disaster. The question remains: how much longer can Gaza endure before hunger claims an irreversible toll? (Word count: 1,128)

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