Gaza’s Humanitarian Crisis: Navigating Aid Amidst Blockades

By 3 Narratives

In the blistering heat of a Gaza spring, hunger has become a form of silence—quiet, enduring, and nearly invisible. For weeks, aid trucks have lined up just beyond the southern border, engines idling under the sun, unable to cross. Since March 1, 2025, not a single shipment of food has entered Gaza. And with it, hope has thinned.

“We have one bag of rice left,” says Mariam Abu Salim, a 42-year-old mother of five in Deir al-Balah. “We boil water and pretend it’s soup for the children. The worst part is the pretending.”

Gaza has endured many sieges before, but this one feels different. It is not only the absence of food or fuel—it is the absence of explanation. The official reason? Security.

Narrative One: Israel’s Red Line

“We cannot allow Hamas to exploit humanitarian corridors as a cover for terror,” said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a recent briefing in Tel Aviv. “Our intelligence has confirmed operatives embedded within aid groups. Until we are confident that aid reaches civilians—not terrorists—there will be no entry.”

Netanyahu’s statement follows an Israeli intelligence report, not publicly released, which claims that at least three members of an international aid convoy were affiliated with Hamas’s military wing. This allegation has been enough to justify the full freeze of humanitarian access. Israel’s leadership maintains that no amount of pressure—domestic or global—will force a change unless hostages are released and Hamas is “completely dismantled.”

But critics argue that the blockade is punitive, collective, and deeply unethical. UN Secretary-General António Guterres called the policy “inhumane and destabilizing,” warning that starvation should never be used as a negotiating tool.

Even within Israel, dissent simmers. A former Mossad analyst, speaking anonymously, said: “Starving civilians does not weaken Hamas—it radicalizes the population and prolongs the conflict.”

Narrative Two: The Ground in Gaza

“We don’t need politics. We need milk,” says Najwa Abu Khalil, a mother of three in northern Gaza, speaking to local health workers.

In northern Gaza, aid workers have shut down nearly all remaining food distribution centers. The World Food Programme reports that it has “run out of food stocks completely,” with half a million people at immediate risk of starvation. Community kitchens that once served lentils and flatbread now sit dark and cold.

In Rafah, 15-year-old Ismail, who has lost two cousins to airstrikes, holds up a phone showing a photo of his family’s former apartment. “This used to be our kitchen,” he says. “Now, it’s just dust.”

On the political front, Hamas spokesperson Khalil al-Hayya condemned the blockade, calling it “a war crime executed under the false pretense of security.” He insisted that Hamas has no control over the food distribution process, stating, “We welcome any independent humanitarian group willing to help our people. What Israel fears is not weapons—it fears witness.”

Still, allegations persist that Hamas has diverted past aid for its own use—a claim nearly impossible to verify and equally difficult to dismiss.

A Surprise Turn: The American Intervention

Amid mounting international pressure and regional unease, a new development has emerged. During President Donald Trump’s surprise Middle East tour last week—covered in our article, “Tariffs, Truces, and Tensions”—the U.S. quietly greenlit a humanitarian initiative bypassing both Israel and Hamas.

An American-backed nonprofit, partnered with UAE logistics and Qatari funding, is now preparing to deliver aid directly to Gazan civilians by late May. The delivery model involves autonomous drones and sealed containers, monitored by satellite to ensure accountability and neutrality (Reuters).

“The goal,” said U.S. Special Envoy Brian Mathers, “is to feed the people of Gaza without feeding the war.”

Israel, while not participating, has agreed to “stand down” on this limited initiative under U.S. assurance. It’s not a breakthrough, but it’s a crack in the blockade.

The Third Narrative: What Price, Peace?

The tragedy in Gaza is not only about food. It is about the erosion of norms—of red lines crossed and humanity tested. It’s about whether children will die not from bullets, but from bureaucracy.

The geopolitical chessboard shows signs of rearrangement. With Saudi Arabia pressuring for a broader Palestinian state framework, and the U.S. walking a tightrope between ally and arbitrator, the question becomes not just who is right—but what is left. https://3narratives.com/donald-trump-and-crown-prince-mohamed-bin-salman/

In Gaza, Mariam folds her only remaining pita into five pieces. She does not know who to blame. She only knows that her children are hungry, and that tomorrow may be hungrier still.

Sources:

• Reuters: US-backed aid group to start work in Gaza
• Reuters: UN Slams Israel’s Gaza Aid Plan
• BBC: Gaza’s community kitchens face shutdown
• 3 Narratives: Trump’s Middle East Tour

Further Reading

Reuters

1. UN Humanitarian Chief Criticizes Israel’s Aid Plan for Gaza UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher has strongly criticized a humanitarian aid plan for Gaza proposed by Israel and supported by the United States, describing it as a “fig leaf for further violence and displacement.”
2. U.S.-Backed Aid Group to Start Work in Gaza by End of May The U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) announced plans to begin aid operations in Gaza by the end of May 2025. Currently, no humanitarian aid has reached the enclave since March 2, putting approximately half a million people—about 25% of Gaza’s population—at risk of starvation.
3. Entire Gaza Population at Critical Risk of Famine, Global Hunger Monitor Says According to a report released by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) on May 12, 2025, the entire population of Gaza is at critical risk of famine, representing a major deterioration since October.
4. Gaza Hunger Crisis Ripples Across Health Sector as Israeli Blockade Endures The Palestinian Red Crescent Society reports that the ongoing blockade has severely impacted Gaza’s healthcare system, with shortages in medication and nutritional supplements, particularly affecting pregnant women.
5. Short of Supplies, Gaza’s Vital Community Kitchens May Soon Shut Multiple aid groups have warned that dozens of local community kitchens risk closing down due to lack of supplies, potentially removing the last consistent source of meals for most of the 2.3 million population.

BBC

1. Israel Denying Food to Gaza is ‘Weapon of War’, Says UNRWA Chief Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN Palestinian refugee agency, has accused Israel of using food deprivation as a weapon of war, stating that “starvation is spreading” inside Gaza.
2. Entire Gaza Population at Critical Risk of Famine, UN-Backed Assessment Says A UN-backed assessment has indicated that Gaza’s population of around 2.1 million Palestinians is at “critical risk” of famine and faces “extreme levels of food insecurity” as an Israeli blockade on humanitarian aid continues.
3. ‘No Food When I Gave Birth’: Malnutrition Rises in Gaza as Israeli Blockade Enters Third Month The BBC reports on the increasing malnutrition rates in Gaza, highlighting personal stories such as that of Najwa, a mother struggling to find formula milk for her baby amid the blockade.
4. US Confirms Plan for Private Firms to Deliver Gaza Aid Despite UN Alarm The US has confirmed a new system for providing humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza through private companies, a move that has raised concerns among UN agencies.
5. Gaza: Israel Denying Food to Gaza is ‘Weapon of War’, Says UNRWA Chief Further coverage on the UNRWA chief’s statement regarding Israel’s blockade and its impact on Gaza’s humanitarian situation.

Since the Israeli offensive resumed in March and a near-total blockade took hold, Gaza has faced an unprecedented humanitarian emergency. In the past week alone, an airstrike on the Fahmi al-Jarjawi School—sheltering displaced families—killed at least 36 civilians, most of them women and children. Meanwhile, a new U.S.-backed aid mechanism has only trickled in supplies amid warnings that over 95 percent of Gaza’s farmland is ruined, 90 percent of its population is displaced, and critical medical stocks are nearly exhausted. Diplomatic efforts—ranging from German rebukes to a stalled U.S. ceasefire proposal—have done little to stem the suffering. Below, we detail the latest developments, human stories, and urgent calls for action.

I. Escalation of Strikes and Civilian Toll

In the early hours of May 26, Israeli warplanes struck the Fahmi al-Jarjawi School in Gaza City—converted into a shelter for the displaced—killing 36 people as they slept, including dozens of children. The Guardian
Local health officials report the death toll across Gaza that day climbed to 52, as multiple shelters and homes were also hit. PBS
Faris Afana, head of Gaza’s Civil Defence emergency service, described arriving at the school to find “three classrooms ablaze” and “sleeping children and women… trapped by the fires.” BBC
This strike came amid eight new evacuation orders across northern and southern Gaza in just two weeks, forcing families into ever-shrinking safe zones. The Guardian

II. A Blockade Starving a Population

Since March 2, Gaza has endured a near-total blockade, with only 107 aid trucks admitted on May 25—far below the 500–600 needed daily. BBC
On May 26, the newly formed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation—a U.S.-backed consortium of ex-UN and military officials—made its first deliveries, aiming for 1 million recipients. AP News
UNRWA warns that 90 percent of Gaza’s population is now displaced, and 95 percent of agricultural land lies fallow or destroyed, raising specters of famine. Wikipedia
The World Health Organization reports medical supplies have dwindled: 64 percent of essential medicines and 43 percent of critical equipment are exhausted in Gaza hospitals. The Guardian

III. Diplomatic Manoeuvres and Criticism

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz publicly rebuked Israel for “excessive” military action and urged respect for international law—his strongest criticism to date. The Guardian
Meanwhile, Hamas tentatively accepted a U.S. ceasefire proposal involving a 70-day truce and hostage-prisoner swaps; Israel has so far declined to formalize the deal. The Guardian
Ireland’s parliament is advancing legislation to ban imports from settlements deemed illegal under international law—a move aimed at increasing pressure on Israel. The Guardian

IV. Voices from Gaza

“Ibrahim al-Saleh,” a father of five now sheltering in a school courtyard, says, “We packed all our hope into one bag—and found only dust in Al-Mawasi.” Al Jazeera
BBC correspondent Fergal Keane recounts a toddler “too weak even to cry,” emblematic of severe malnutrition among Gaza’s youngest. Al Jazeera
Teachers at the struck school described scenes of “utter chaos” and “children calling for their mothers,” memories that “will haunt us forever.” WAFA Agency

V. Urgent Calls to Action

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for “safe, unimpeded humanitarian access,” warning current aid flows are “but a drop in the ocean.” France 24
Doctors Without Borders cautions the Gaza blockade amounts to collective punishment, urging the international community to “demand corridors for lifesaving supplies.” PBS
Humanitarian experts stress that without immediate, sustained aid—and a genuine ceasefire—Gaza faces irreversible societal collapse. Wikipedia

Conclusion:
Gaza’s humanitarian crisis has reached a critical inflection point. As diplomatic wrangling stalls and aid drips through new channels, each day brings fresh tragedies—and fresh questions about our collective resolve to uphold human dignity amid war.

Key Citations:

• Israeli airstrike on Gaza school kills 36 sheltering civilians The Guardian
• At least 52 killed in Gaza strikes, medics say PBS
• Gaza blockade admits only 107 aid trucks vs. 500–600 needed BBC
• New U.S.-backed aid system begins operations amid controversy AP News
• Over 95 percent of Gaza farmland unusable; looming famine Wikipedia
• WHO: Medical supplies critically low in Gaza hospitals The Guardian
• German Chancellor Merz warns against excessive force The Guardian
• Hamas tentatively agrees to 70-day ceasefire swap The Guardian
• BBC: Gaza toddler “too weak to cry” reflects malnutrition crisis Al Jazeera
• UN calls for unimpeded humanitarian access France 24