24/07 • GAZA FOOD CRISIS

In recent years, including prior to the devastating events of 7 October 2023, aid systems in Gaza, led by the UN and NGOs, worked to meet this need through coordinated food assistance. The response was far from perfect, but it was grounded in the core humanitarian principles of impartiality, humanity, and independence. These agencies operated more than 400 distribution sites, delivering food close to communities, along with safe water, cooking fuel, and infant formula. 

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) was first announced on 19 May, three days after the Israeli government launched its intensified military operation in Gaza. GHF is now responsible for aid distributions, and even by the estimates of those more supportive of the model, it has delivered 70 million meals in that time.

For the 2.2 million inhabitants of Gaza, approximately 600 million meals were required over the same period to meet basic nutritional needs. That’s just 12–13% of what was needed, falling well short of any reasonable humanitarian standard. 

Today, there are just four GHF-run sites across Gaza. People walk for hours through unsafe terrain, often under threat of violence, to receive dry rations they cannot cook. No baby food is provided. No fuel. No water. 

According to the UN, more than 1,000 people have been killed while trying to access food, including at least 875 deaths at or near GHF-run distribution sites. The toll continues to rise. 

A joint statement from over 100 humanitarian, human rights, and medical organisations, including many with decades of experience in Gaza, described the situation in stark terms: 

“The UN-led humanitarian system has not failed. It has been prevented from functioning.” 

“The starvation of civilians as a method of warfare is a war crime.” 

“Children starve while waiting for promises that never arrive.” 

Many signs point to this not just being a broken system, but a manufactured famine.