The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has once again sounded the alarm over the deepening humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, calling for an immediate end to the Israeli blockade and the full restoration of humanitarian and commercial access to the besieged enclave.

In a statement released Sunday, UNRWA confirmed it continues to deliver lifesaving assistance with the dwindling resources it has left. UNRWA warned that its remaining supplies are nearly exhausted and that the situation on the ground is rapidly deteriorating.

Just a day earlier, UNRWA stated, "With over 55,000 people reported killed and an estimated 1.9 million displaced, people in Gaza have endured unimaginable suffering. The ceasefire must be renewed and the over 1 month long siege must be lifted to allow an unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid and commercial supplies."

According to UNRWA, the blockade—imposed by "Israel" since March 2—has completely halted the entry of both humanitarian and commercial goods for more than a month, marking the longest such disruption since the genocidal war began. The collapse of the ceasefire in late March further intensified the crisis, triggering the mass displacement of more than 142,000 Palestinians between March 18 and 23.

Children in crisis

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UNRWA's warning follows a grave alert from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), which described the current situation as "catastrophic." According to UNICEF, more than one million children in Gaza have been left without access to lifesaving aid. Stocks of infant formula are nearly depleted, able to support just 400 babies for another month—while nearly 10,000 infants urgently require supplemental feeding. With formula supplies blocked and clean water increasingly inaccessible, families are being forced to mix unsafe alternatives, risking fatal illness.

UNICEF's Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Edouard Beigbeder, stated bluntly: "Most of this aid is lifesaving – yet instead of saving lives, it is sitting in storage. This is not a choice or charity; it is an obligation under international law."

Health system at breaking point

The combined effects of Israeli bombardment and blockade have left Gaza's healthcare system in ruins. UNRWA reports that 59% of essential medicines are no longer available and 37% of vital medical equipment has been lost or rendered unusable. At least 15% of clinics that treat malnourished children have shut down due to attacks or displacement. Hundreds of children who had been receiving critical care are now left without access to support.

Power cuts have also crippled Gaza's main desalination plant, reducing water output by 85%. Clean water access has dropped from 16 liters per person per day to just six—and may fall further below four if fuel supplies are not restored. These conditions are breeding grounds for outbreaks of waterborne disease, particularly among children weakened by hunger.

International complicity and legal failure

Despite repeated warnings from humanitarian agencies, the international community has failed to compel "Israel" to lift the siege or halt its bombardment. UNRWA and UNICEF continue to stress that the blockade violates international humanitarian law and collective punishment conventions, yet no meaningful enforcement has been pursued.

"Civilians, including children and humanitarian workers, must be protected," said UNICEF, reiterating calls for an immediate ceasefire, unimpeded humanitarian access, and the safe evacuation of the sick and wounded.

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As Gaza's health, water, and food systems collapse, the scale of human suffering grows more severe by the day. International silence and inaction are enabling a humanitarian catastrophe in full view of the world. For the children of Gaza, the cost of political failure is measured in lives lost and futures stolen.