Ministry of Social Development: The Gaza Strip Faces a Deepening Humanitarian Catastrophe as Civilians Struggle to Survive
The Ministry of Social Development is following with profound concern the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip amid the ongoing Israeli aggression, the tightening blockade, and the continued restrictions on the entry of humanitarian assistance and essential goods. These conditions have led to an unprecedented collapse of the basic necessities of life, forcing hundreds of thousands of families to endure severe living conditions that threaten their right to life and human dignity.
The Ministry affirms that the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip has evolved far beyond a shortage of essential supplies and now represents a multidimensional emergency marked by forced displacement, severe food insecurity, the deterioration of healthcare services, acute water shortages, environmental degradation, and soaring prices, while the minimum needs of the population can no longer be met.
In this context, the Israeli occupation continues to expand forced evacuation zones, significantly reducing the areas available for civilians and displacing thousands of additional families in recent weeks. At the same time, civilian casualties continue to rise, with women and children accounting for the majority of those killed and injured.
The Gaza Strip is also experiencing unprecedented levels of food insecurity following the closure of most community kitchens and the sharp decline in the flow of humanitarian assistance. As a result, the majority of families are now unable to secure even a single meal a day amid the collapse of livelihoods, the shortage of fuel and cooking gas, and the dramatic increase in the prices of essential commodities beyond the purchasing power of ordinary citizens.
The Ministry further warns of the alarming deterioration in health and nutritional conditions, particularly among women and children. Thousands of pregnant and breastfeeding women are living under extremely harsh humanitarian conditions in displacement centres and tents, facing severe shortages of food and healthcare, rising rates of miscarriage and malnutrition, and escalating risks to the lives of tens of thousands of children.
At the same time, the water crisis continues to worsen dramatically due to the severe shortage of safe drinking water. Women and children are forced to wait for hours under the scorching sun to obtain limited quantities of water, while soaring temperatures and the collapse of water and sanitation infrastructure further compound the crisis.
Residents also face daily difficulties in accessing bread because of limited production capacity and severe flour shortages. Long queues outside bakeries have become a daily reality, with many people returning home empty-handed after failing to obtain this basic staple.
The Ministry notes that the accumulation of solid waste, the spread of rodents and insects, and the lack of pest control supplies have significantly increased environmental and public health risks, contributing to a rise in skin diseases and communicable illnesses, particularly among children, while the collapse of the healthcare system and the shortage of medicines and medical supplies continue to undermine the provision of essential healthcare.
The Ministry further emphasizes that the continued electricity outages, severe fuel shortages, the absence of cooking gas, and the widespread destruction of agricultural land have all deepened the humanitarian crisis, turning everyday life in the Gaza Strip into a continuous struggle to secure the most basic conditions for survival.
The Ministry of Social Development stresses that the situation in the Gaza Strip constitutes a deepening humanitarian catastrophe and a grave violation of international humanitarian law, requiring an urgent and responsible international response. It calls upon the international community, the United Nations and its specialized agencies, and the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions to fulfill their legal and humanitarian obligations by taking immediate and effective measures to ensure the full and sustained reopening of border crossings, guarantee the safe and unconditional flow of humanitarian assistance, relief supplies, and essential goods throughout the Gaza Strip, provide international protection for civilians, and ensure access to food, safe drinking water, healthcare, and shelter. Such action is essential to halt the accelerating humanitarian deterioration and prevent the expansion of famine and humanitarian collapse threatening the lives of more than two million Palestinians.
The Ministry reiterates that saving civilian lives in the Gaza Strip can no longer be delayed. Immediate international action is now a humanitarian, moral, and legal imperative to protect civilians, end the escalating humanitarian catastrophe, and uphold the Palestinian people's fundamental right to life and human dignity.