Over 100 aid and human rights organisations have issued a stark warning that “mass starvation” is taking hold in Gaza, as the humanitarian crisis deepens nearly two years into the Israel-Hamas war.
Groups including Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Oxfam, and Save the Children released a joint statement calling for an immediate ceasefire, the full opening of land crossings, and unrestricted humanitarian access.
They accused both warring sides of worsening civilian suffering while international agencies struggle to deliver aid.
“Palestinians are trapped in a cycle of hope and heartbreak,” the signatories said. “Survival is dangled like a mirage.”
Despite Israeli claims that humanitarian aid is reaching Gaza, many relief organisations report that thousands of tonnes of food and medical supplies remain undelivered—either stuck at border crossings or inaccessible due to poor security and logistical barriers.
Aid officials say Israeli permissions are limited, and safe corridors are lacking.
The Israeli military says it is not blocking aid and has allowed some 4,500 trucks to enter Gaza recently.
However, it blames international agencies for not collecting and distributing supplies fast enough.
Meanwhile, Gaza’s health ministry reported that 21 children died of starvation over the past three days.
In a recent Israeli airstrike, 17 more civilians were killed, including a pregnant woman, according to Gaza’s civil defence.
A senior Israeli security official told The Times of Israel that “we have not identified starvation at this current point in time,” but acknowledged urgent action is needed to stabilise conditions.
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The United States, which backs Israel’s security operations, said this week that envoy Steve Witkoff will head to Europe for talks aimed at reviving a ceasefire deal and opening new humanitarian corridors.
The talks could shift to the Middle East as negotiations enter what officials describe as a “critical phase.”
“We’re hopeful,” said U.S. State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce, “that a ceasefire and aid corridor are within reach and that both parties agree on the urgency.”
Since the launch of the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) in May—seen by critics as an attempt to bypass the UN-led aid system—more than 1,000 Palestinians have reportedly been killed trying to access food, the UN said.
GHF claims the UN has failed to keep pace with the crisis, while the UN insists it is being deliberately sidelined.
Israel’s military campaign, launched in response to Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack that killed 1,219 people, has resulted in the deaths of over 59,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to Gaza’s health authorities.
Western governments have stepped up calls for an end to the war, with over two dozen nations urging an immediate halt this week, warning that the crisis has reached “unprecedented depths.”
Aid groups say the world is running out of time.
“The humanitarian system cannot run on false promises,” the joint statement said. “We cannot wait for political gestures while people waste away.”