Over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since late May while attempting to access food aid distributions, according to UN officials. These deaths occurred amidst worsening starvation conditions in Gaza, with the UN Secretary-General António Guterres describing the situation as a "horror show" and stating that "the last lifelines keeping people alive are collapsing." The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have targeted aid distribution points and attacked facilities belonging to the World Health Organization (WHO), including the main aid hub in Deir al-Balah. Furthermore, Israel cancelled the work visa of the most senior UN aid official in Gaza, Jonathan Whittall. High-level officials, including UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, have condemned Israel's actions, with Kallas stating that "all options were on the table" if Israel fails to uphold aid pledges. The UN’s main agency for Palestinians, UNRWA, described Gaza as a "hell on earth," highlighting the suffering of its staff and other aid workers due to hunger and exhaustion.

A joint statement from 27 Western countries criticized Israel's restrictions on humanitarian aid and called for an immediate end to the conflict. The UN World Food Programme reported that a quarter of Gaza's population faces "famine-like" conditions, with almost 100,000 women and children suffering from severe acute malnutrition. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) assessment indicated that 10% of Gaza's population faces catastrophic hunger levels. Despite international criticism, aid agencies criticized the lack of meaningful action from governments who signed the joint statement.

Impact Statement: The escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza, fueled by Israeli actions and the severe limitations on aid access, is resulting in widespread death and suffering, triggering significant international condemnation and raising concerns about potential war crimes.