The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached a critical tipping point, with over 100 days of fuel blockade leaving hospitals, bakeries, water systems, and aid convoys on the brink of total shutdown. According to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the lack of fuel has halted incubators, immobilized ambulances, and cut off water supplies, threatening the lives of thousands, especially newborns and the sick.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) declared Gaza the most hunger-stricken territory on the planet, with 100% of the population at risk of famine. Since Israel imposed a total blockade on March 2, only a fraction of authorized aid trucks have been allowed in, and even fewer have reached their destinations due to security restrictions and looting.

The UN and major humanitarian organizations have rejected Israel’s attempt to replace UN agencies with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a private entity backed by the U.S. and Israel. The GHF’s operations have been marred by chaos, deadly shootings, and abandonment by foreign contractors, with over 300 Palestinians killed while trying to access food.

UN officials warn that 80% of Gaza’s critical care units are hours away from shutting down. The price of drinking water has surged 400%, and families are walking kilometers in extreme heat to fetch unsafe water. “Without fuel, humanitarian operations cannot continue,” UNRWA stated bluntly.

Critics argue that the blockade and aid restrictions are part of a broader strategy to forcibly displace Gaza’s population. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich declared in May that “Gaza will be completely destroyed” within five months, raising fears of ethnic cleansing and permanent refugee status for over 2 million Palestinians.

Would you like a visual timeline of the fuel blockade or a breakdown of how international law addresses the weaponization of humanitarian aid?

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