Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of UNRWA notes that the death toll of UNRWA workers in Gaza this weekend “surpassed the gruesome milestone of 300. The vast majority of staff were killed by the Israeli Army with their children & loved ones: whole families wiped out. … Those killed were mostly UN health workers & teachers, supporting their communities.”
Israel has killed hundreds of Palestinians in Gaza in recent days. The Financial Times reports in “Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel plans to take over all of Gaza” that “Prime minister acknowledges besieged strip is approaching starvation after announcing plans to allow limited entry of aid.”
Last week, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher told the UN Security Council: “We have life-saving supplies ready, now, at the borders. We can save hundreds of thousands of survivors. … But Israel denies us access.” He added: “For anyone still pretending to be in any doubt, the Israeli-designed distribution modality is not the answer. … It restricts aid to only one part of Gaza, while leaving other dire needs unmet. It makes aid conditional on political and military aims. It makes starvation a bargaining chip. It is a cynical sideshow. A deliberate distraction. A fig leaf for further violence and displacement.”
Chinese-owned TikTok is rife with videos falsely claiming that China is heroically doing air drops of food into Gaza.
UBAI ABOUDI, [in Ramallah] [email protected], @ubaiaboudi
Aboudi is with the Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network, which had been calling on the UN and the Palestinian Authority to declare Gaza a famine-stricken area. He is also executive director of the Bisan Center for Research and Development.
He notes that Netanyahu’s proposal is very minimal — “talks are for about nine trucks” — which “would change nothing in reality in Gaza.” He outlines the needs outlined by Palestinian civil society:
* “Ending the Genocide.
* “Complete lifting of the siege and guaranteeing the entry of humanitarian aid, humanitarian personnel and equipment and evacuation of patients. Including breaking it forcefully through UNSC resolution or General Assembly resolution building on the responsibility to protect for a coalition to break the siege.
* “Accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
* “Rejection of the Israeli, U.S. militarization of humanitarian aid plan (also the Palestinian government rejected it and the United Nations and the coalition of INGOs working in Palestine).”
See from the Bisan Center: “Famine Declaration in Gaza: Understanding the Context and Legal Implications” which states: “The declaration of famine in Gaza carries profound legal, humanitarian, and political implications, given the 65-day Israeli blockade and the accusations of war crimes against senior Israeli officials. … Governments and/or United Nations organizations have the authority to declare a famine. The Palestinian government declared a famine on May 7, 2025, and held the Israeli government responsible for the famine as the occupying power. … Causing famine is a war crime under customary international law and international humanitarian law. Starvation is also considered a war crime. Under Article 8(2)(b)(xxv) of the Rome Statute, intentionally using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare is a ‘war crime’ in international armed conflicts.”
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification recently stated: “Between mid-January and mid-March 2025, the ceasefire allowed a temporary alleviation of acute food insecurity and malnutrition conditions in parts of the Gaza Strip. However, the ongoing blockade imposed in early March reversed the situation. Since 18 March, the escalating conflict has displaced over 430,000 people, further disrupted access to humanitarian assistance, markets, health, water and sanitation services, and caused additional damage to remaining essential infrastructure. All 25 bakeries supported by the World Food Programme (WFP) closed at the beginning of April due to lack of supplies, and food stocks for most of the 177 hot meal kitchens are reportedly exhausted. All preventive nutrition supplies have run out in UNICEF and WFP warehouses. Food prices are soaring daily, with wheat flour ranging from USD $235 per 25 kg in Deir al-Balah to USD $520 in Gaza and Khan Younis — a 3,000 percent increase since February 2025. Latest data show many households resorting to extreme coping strategies. A third reported collecting garbage to sell for food, while a quarter indicated that no valuable garbage remains. Observations reveal that social order is breaking down. …
“Immediate action is essential to prevent further deaths, starvation and acute malnutrition, and a descent into Famine. This entails ending hostilities, ensuring unrestricted humanitarian access, restoring essential services and commercial flows, and providing sufficient lifesaving assistance to all in need.”