It’s no secret that in the midst of the Israel-Hamas conflict, the people of Gaza continue to suffer in horrific conditions. From casualties resulting from the conflict itself to the lack of basic necessities, thousands of people continue to call for aid.
Across Gaza, people are begging for food, and with the World Health Organization (WHO) canceling their sixth aid mission, the outlook is becoming increasingly bleaker.
With the situation becoming increasingly more desperate, one may wonder why the mission was canceled in the first place. The U.N. canceled the mission over security concerns citing that requests had not been approved and that there were no assurances over the security that would be provided. WHO Director, General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called upon Israel to approve WHO and other humanitarian partners to deliver aid to Gaza. Whether or not Israel has responded to the call is still unknown. This is the sixth mission that would have offered the very much-needed aid that has been canceled in just a two-week span.
Over 2.3 million individuals have been displaced because of the conflict in Gaza. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has noted that although levels of distress have not crossed into what would be classified as famine, the likelihood of this outcome is rising every day.
Not only is food scarce, but basic necessities and medicine are also limited. WHO has cited that only fifteen hospitals remain functional, and to a population of 2.3 million, it is not enough to offer sufficient relief. Only time can tell what the result for these survivors of the continuing war between Israel and Hamas will be. What is certain is that if aid continues to be halted, they will suffer the consequences.
Despite a pledge to scale down the war this week, the fighting has only become more intense.
