Over 100 Humanitarian Organizations Urge Immediate Action to Open Gaza Crossings, End Israeli Siege

Gaza city: More than 100 international humanitarian organizations have called on governments around the world to immediately open all land crossings into Gaza, restore full access to food, clean water, medical supplies, shelter materials, and fuel, and to support a UN-led humanitarian mechanism, alongside an immediate and lasting ceasefire. According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, the organizations issued a joint statement highlighting the dire situation in Gaza, where aid workers face life-threatening risks just to secure food for their families amidst the ongoing blockade by the Israeli government. The blockade continues to exacerbate starvation among Gaza's population, with aid supplies running critically low. The statement underscores the daily massacres occurring at food distribution points. UN figures reveal that, as of July 13, 875 Palestinians had been killed while seeking food, with 201 fatalities on aid routes and the remainder at distribution centers. Thousands more have sustain ed injuries in these efforts. The humanitarian crisis is further compounded by the forcible displacement of nearly 2 million Palestinians, who are now confined to less than 12 percent of Gaza's territory following the last mass evacuation order on July 20. The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that these conditions render humanitarian operations "unsustainable" and stressed that using starvation as a weapon of war constitutes a war crime. Despite significant aid stocks both inside and outside Gaza, distribution remains severely hindered by Israeli-imposed restrictions, delays, and fragmentation. These obstacles have resulted in chaos, hunger, and death, according to the statement. Mental health professionals have reported distressing levels of trauma among children, with some expressing a desire for death due to hunger. Medical teams are observing unprecedented rates of acute malnutrition, particularly among children and the elderly, alongside outbreaks of diarrhea and a city overwhelmed by uncollected waste. On average, only 28 aid trucks are permitted entry into Gaza daily, which falls far short of the needs of over 2 million residents, many of whom have been without aid for weeks. The organizations firmly reject claims that the UN-led humanitarian system has failed, asserting that it has been deliberately obstructed. They argue that humanitarian agencies possess the capacity and resources for large-scale delivery, yet their access remains systematically denied. The organizations also criticized recent announcements from Israel and the EU regarding expanded aid access, describing these promises as hollow without tangible change. They emphasize that each day without sustained aid flow results in more preventable deaths and shattered hope. The statement concluded by highlighting the psychological toll on Gaza's population, who find themselves trapped in a relentless cycle of hope and despair, awaiting aid or ceasefire announcements that often lead to even harsher conditions.