Israel permitted only a minimal quantity of humanitarian aid to enter the Gaza Strip on Monday this week, marking the first such move since March. The move, humanitarian organisations and health experts say, falls far short of what is needed to lessen the worsening hunger crisis.
A small number of trucks carrying flour, bottled water, and basic first-aid supplies were allowed to pass through the Kerem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) Crossing following extensive inspections and prolonged delays.
The convoy did not include fuel, essential medicines, or medical oxygen, which health workers say are essential for sustaining even the most basic healthcare services. Aid agencies have warned that such limited deliveries merely prolong survival without addressing the dire humanitarian conditions the people of Gaza are facing.
Renewed negotiations between Hamas and Israel are underway in Doha as international pressure mounts to end the devastating war in Gaza. Hamas confirmed that the talks, reportedly launched without preconditions, are focusing on a potential ceasefire, the exchange of captives, and the urgent delivery of humanitarian aid.
This diplomatic push comes as Israeli forces continue their wide scale offensive in northern Gaza, triggering massive civilian displacement and mounting casualties. Over the past three days alone, Israeli airstrikes have claimed dozens of lives, deepening the humanitarian crisis that has gripped the territory for 18 months.
The diplomatic efforts coincided with Israel’s launch of a large-scale ground operation in Gaza on Saturday named “Operation Gideon’s Chariots.” Israeli officials have stated that the campaign aims to take full control of the Gaza Strip by dismantling Hamas’s military infrastructure and securing the release of the Israeli hostages held in the devastated Strip.
A senior Israeli military spokesperson said that “this Operation marks a critical phase in our efforts to neutralise Hamas’s capabilities, weaken its hold on Gaza, and protect our citizens. Our forces are advancing with precision to clear areas of militant presence and ensure long-term security.”
According to the Israeli army, the operation involves coordinated air and ground assaults targeting militant positions in key locations such as Beit Lahia and Jabaliya in the northern Gaza Strip. Tanks and infantry units have already moved into these areas to secure strategic zones.
Israeli officials claimed their forces are taking every measure to minimise casualties among civilians by issuing evacuation warnings in advance, also confirming that they are focusing on militants and military positions. However, the situation in Gaza has taken a turn for the worse with Israeli attacks becoming more frequent and intense.
As Israeli bombardments intensify across northern Gaza, large numbers of Palestinian families have been forced to flee their homes, carrying what little they can through shattered streets and rubble-strewn neighbourhoods.
The renewed military push has turned entire residential areas into active combat zones, leaving civilians with no choice but to seek expected safe places further south and in the heart of Gaza City.
In places like Jabalia and Beit Lahiya, once bustling neighbourhoods now stand nearly deserted. With nowhere truly safe and humanitarian corridors severely restricted, many displaced residents have taken shelter in overcrowded facilities or open spaces, facing dire conditions with limited access to water, food, and medical care.
Hussein Oda from Jabalia in northern Gaza was shocked by the death of his entire family as he was getting ready to leave.
“I lost my wife and three kids. They are under the rubble now. I can’t even retrieve their bodies, and there is no way of getting help. I went to get a cab so we could leave together after an evacuation warning, but it was too late. The Israeli missiles were faster. I wish I had died with them,” he said with bitter grief.
In Gaza City, tens of thousands of newly displaced residents are now living in the open, especially in Al-Jalaa Street and the Saftawi area, as there are no available tents or shelters. Many families are surviving without food, water, or medicine, under a suffocating blockade and continuous bombardment.
Said Mortaja, 27, told the Al-Ahram Weekly from his home in western Gaza City that their block had been warned to evacuate, but his family are not going to leave.
“Nobody in our street left, and we will do the same. There is no place to go, and it’s dangerous everywhere. I pray to God to protect my family and everybody else. We vacated our home in October 2023, and we won’t go through this experience again. It’s better to die here than leave,” he said.
Growing urgency: The ongoing displacements reflect the growing urgency of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, as repeated evacuations and airstrikes make daily survival increasingly difficult for the civilian population.
Across Gaza, grief hangs heavy in the air as countless families mourn the loss of loved ones killed in the latest wave of Israeli military attacks. Jihad Al-Sharif, a digital creator, mourned the death of his wife, son, and daughter in a post on Facebook.
“My dear wife Shaimaa, my lovely daughter Faten, and my sweet son Mohamed are all martyrs. You were the most beautiful thing in my life. Pray for my son Omar. He is in intensive care now,” he said.
A statement released by the Gaza Media Office on Saturday said that the recent Israeli bombardment has completely or partially destroyed over 1,000 housing units, forcing more than 300,000 people to flee northern Gaza towards Gaza City, which itself lacks the infrastructure and shelter capacity to absorb massive numbers of displaced people.
The statement accused Israeli forces of blocking emergency and civil defence crews from reaching the targeted areas and rescuing people, a move Palestinian officials described as a deliberate violation of the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law.
The Israeli military is said to be systematically targeting anything that moves in northern Gaza including rescue teams and civilian vehicles. Drones have reportedly set fire to hundreds of tents sheltering displaced families in areas like Tel Al-Zaatar, the Jabalia Camp, and Beit Lahia, adding to the suffering of starving Palestinians.
Palestinian officials warn that the situation in northern Gaza now amounts to a full-scale campaign of ethnic cleansing and genocide carried out amid international silence and what they called “complicity” with the Israeli occupation.
The recent Israeli escalation occurred as US President Donald Trump finished his visit to several Gulf states including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE last week, raising hopes of a broader ceasefire deal and humanitarian access.
However, Trump surprised Hamas and the world by his comments about Gaza from Qatar in which he reiterated his controversial proposal to turn the Gaza Strip into a “freedom zone” and suggested that the United States should take care of the reconstruction of the territory.
Airstrikes and ground operations have destroyed large parts of the Strip, worsening an already severe humanitarian crisis. Homes, schools, and hospitals have been damaged or reduced to rubble, while over two million Palestinians are struggling with extreme shortages of food, clean water, and medical supplies.
Children pulled from under debris, burned, maimed or orphaned with no medical care or psychological support have become a usual scene in Gaza’s remaining hospitals. Last week, 28 Palestinians were killed and dozens more were injured by powerful Israeli airstrikes on the European Hospital and its surroundings east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip.
The Israeli attack caused extensive damage to the hospital, forcing doctors to suspend its operations.
Local health officials reported that the attack had destroyed vital parts of the hospital, including the emergency department and essential access points. The facility’s water supply was cut off, leaving it unable to maintain basic functions.
Imad Al-Hout, the hospital’s director, said that about 200 patients were evacuated from the medical compound to other medical centres across Gaza such as the Nasser Hospital, which is now overwhelmed by the surge in emergency cases.
Israeli military sources claimed the hospital was being used as a command centre by Hamas militants.
The incident underscores the fragile state of Gaza’s healthcare system amid the ongoing hostilities. Medical facilities are increasingly vulnerable, and the loss of such a critical hospital exacerbates the already dire humanitarian crisis, highlighting the urgent need for increased international aid and the protection of healthcare services.
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts are underway to de-escalate tensions, but the situation remains volatile with the potential for further developments.
The UN urged all parties to exercise restraint. A UN spokesperson said that “we call for an immediate ceasefire and increased humanitarian access to Gaza. The civilian population is suffering from critical shortages of food, water, and medical supplies, and their protection must be paramount.”
Germany warned Israel on Saturday that proceeding with a broad military offensive in Gaza endangers the lives of Israeli hostages and further damages their conditions. Despite growing international calls for a ceasefire, no political breakthrough has been reached. As the violence continues, concerns are rising over the long-term impact on Gaza’s civilian population and the region.
Despite the renewed dialogue, both sides remain far apart on key demands. Hamas has signaled its willingness to engage, while Israeli officials insist operations will not pause unless tangible progress is made.
The Ministry of Health in Gaza announced on Saturday that more than 3,193 people have been killed and over 8,993 injured by Israeli strikes in different parts of the Gaza Strip since 18 March, while 53,339 people have been killed and more than 121,034 injured by Israeli strikes since October 2023.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 22 May, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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