United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres stated Friday that Palestinians in Gaza are enduring “what may be the cruelest phase” of the ongoing war, amid intensifying Israeli military operations and extreme shortages of food and medical supplies.
The remarks came after the partial easing of Israel’s months-long blockade allowed some aid to enter Gaza for the first time since March 2. However, of the nearly 400 trucks cleared to enter recently, only 115 were successfully collected. Guterres warned that the volume of aid currently reaching Gaza is “a teaspoon when a flood of assistance is required.”
Despite Israel’s agreement to allow limited shipments, the humanitarian crisis deepened. According to Gaza’s civil defence agency, at least 16 people were killed on Friday in Israeli airstrikes across the territory, with dozens more wounded. The Israeli military reported hitting more than 75 “terror targets,” including compounds and weapons storage sites.
Meanwhile, the World Food Programme (WFP) reported that 15 of its trucks were looted Thursday night in southern Gaza while en route to WFP-supported bakeries. The organization blamed growing desperation among residents and urged Israeli authorities to enable larger and faster deliveries of food assistance.
Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), noted that during a six-week ceasefire earlier this year, between 500 and 600 aid trucks entered Gaza daily—far more than current levels. “The people of Gaza have been starved,” he said, warning that scenes of looting should not come as a surprise.
Fighting has escalated since March 18, when Israel resumed its offensive after the breakdown of a temporary truce. Gaza’s health ministry reports that at least 3,673 people have been killed since the ceasefire ended, bringing the total death toll in Gaza to 53,822—mostly civilians.
The conflict was sparked by a Hamas-led attack on Israel in October 2023, which killed 1,218 people and led to 251 hostages being taken. According to Israeli sources, 57 hostages remain in Gaza, including 34 believed to be dead.
