Gaza humanitarian crisis

The crisis includes both an impending famine and a healthcare collapse . At the start of the war , Israel tightened its blockade on the Gaza Strip , which has resulted in significant shortages of fuel, food, medication, water, and essential medical supplies. This siege resulted in a 90% drop in electricity availability, impacting hospital power supplies, sewage plants, and shutting down the desalination plants that provide drinking water. Doctors warned of disease outbreaks spreading due to overcrowded hospitals. Heavy bombardment by Israeli airstrikes caused catastrophic damage to Gaza’s infrastructure, further deepening the crisis. The Gaza Health Ministry reported over 4,000 children killed in the war's first month. UN Secretary General António Guterres stated Gaza had "become a graveyard for children." In May 2024, the USAID head Samantha Power stated that conditions in Gaza were "worse than ever before". Organizations such as Doctors Without Borders , the Red Cross , and a joint statement by UNICEF , the World Health Organization, the UN Development Programme , United Nations Population Fund , and World Food Programme have warned of a dire humanitarian collapse. In early March 2025, Israel began a complete blockade of all food and supplies going into Gaza, ending only in late May with limited distribution by the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation . "Gaza "fast becoming hell hole" on "brink of collapse" amid Israel strikes: UN" . The Times of Israel . The New York Times . Access to supplies means life or death at this point. We're deeply concerned for the fate of everyone in Gaza right now" ( Tweet ) . There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or templates on this page, but the references will not show without a template or template (see the help page ).