Gaza's Humanitarian Crisis: Urgent Steps Needed to Prevent Famine

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached a critical point, with experts warning that famine conditions could emerge if urgent action is not taken. In a recent discussion hosted by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, humanitarian and policy experts outlined the dire situation on the ground and steps needed to prevent further catastrophe.

The Current Humanitarian Situation

Jeremy Konyndyk, President of Refugees International, described the trajectory of food insecurity and famine risk in Gaza based on a recent report by his organization:

"We put out this report a few weeks ago...and it explores the trajectory of food insecurity and famine risk in Gaza. We did this now for a few reasons - one, the risk is not over. We're not hearing as much, there's not as much news coverage of humanitarian conditions in Gaza. It's being pushed aside by most recently some of the situation in Lebanon, but the humanitarian crisis remains very real."

Konyndyk outlined several phases of the crisis:

• Initial months after October 7th: Complete siege and cutoff of aid, food, fuel
• Late December: First warnings of famine risk
• January-February: Further deterioration, especially in Northern Gaza
• March: UN projections of imminent famine
• Late March-May: Some improvements in aid access after international pressure
• May onwards: Deterioration again after Rafah operations began

Scott Anderson, Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator for the UN in Gaza, described the current challenges:

"We had done much better in April in particular bringing food in...but then Rafah started May 6th when the ceasefire talks fell through unfortunately and they weren't able to come to a deal for the release of the hostages and that changed everything quite significantly."

Anderson explained that the Rafah operations created an environment where "law and order basically didn't exist" with crime families controlling territory and impeding aid delivery. This has made it extremely difficult to distribute aid effectively.

Key Factors Impeding Aid Delivery

The experts identified several critical factors preventing adequate humanitarian assistance from reaching those in need:

Lack of Political Will

Ambassador David Satterfield, former US Special Envoy for Middle East Humanitarian Issues, emphasized that the core issue is not a deliberate intent to starve Gazans, but rather a lack of focused effort by Israel to facilitate aid delivery:

"I disagree fundamentally with any assessment whether ICJ or other that there is a deliberate Israeli policy attempt to starve the people of Gaza. I do not believe the evidence supports such an assertion. What I do believe...is that it is not intent, it is lack of effort."

Satterfield argued that Israel has not undertaken the necessary measures to ensure aid can be distributed throughout Gaza, even given the complex security environment.

Security and Access Issues

Anderson highlighted the security challenges for aid workers:

"The most dangerous place for humanitarians in Gaza anywhere in Gaza at the moment is at the checkpoint waiting to cross the checkpoint or at the checkpoint and that's where it should be the safest because it should be the most controlled."

He explained that inconsistent processes and treatment at checkpoints make it extremely difficult for aid agencies to plan and operate effectively.

Lawlessness and Looting

The breakdown of law and order, especially in Rafah, has led to increased looting and hijacking of aid supplies. Anderson noted:

"The issue that's preventing us from bringing aid in at scale is the lack of law and order in Rafah and that all changed on May 6 when the Rafah operation started and there is no police presence in Gaza."

Limited Entry Points

There are currently only two main entry points for aid - Kerem Shalom and crossings in the north. This severely constrains the volume of assistance that can enter Gaza.

Restrictions on Commercial Activity

Konyndyk pointed out that recent reductions in commercial truck access will further exacerbate the crisis:

"We've seen also a reduction starting this week in the number of commercial trucks that are being allowed to enter Gaza. It was around 200 a day, now it's down to 50."

Urgent Steps Needed

The experts outlined several key steps that need to be taken immediately to address the humanitarian crisis:

Improve Security for Aid Operations

Anderson called for the IDF to provide security for humanitarian convoys:

"We would welcome the IDF providing security in Rafah area so we can move trucks in at scale. I think they're the only ones that can do it at this point that can provide security for the humanitarian convoys."

Open Additional Border Crossings

Increasing the number of entry points for aid would allow for greater volumes to enter Gaza.

Facilitate Movement Within Gaza

Satterfield emphasized the need to allow civilian populations to return to areas where humanitarian implementers can access them safely.

Maintain Commercial Access

Konyndyk stressed the importance of allowing commercial activity to continue alongside humanitarian aid.

Improve Coordination with Aid Agencies

Anderson suggested more proactive engagement between the IDF and humanitarian organizations:

"Something that would help significantly is if we could meet with the IDF with the soldiers coming in on the ground before they're actually here and explain what it is that we do, talk through how we work."

Sustained High-Level Focus

Satterfield called for "continued focus on specific steps to be done or not to be done which is an 18-hour a day undertaking every day of the week."

Support for UNRWA

Despite controversies, the experts agreed that UNRWA's logistical capacity remains essential for aid delivery in Gaza in the immediate term.

The Path Forward

While the experts emphasized that a ceasefire and release of hostages remain the ultimate goals, they stressed the urgent need for action in the meantime to prevent further humanitarian catastrophe.

Satterfield argued that the strategic costs to Israel of continuing the current campaign now outweigh any potential gains:

"Right now since the end of May beginning of June, the strategic loss to Israel each day this fighting goes on in Gaza outweighs the limited strategic gains."

Konyndyk cautioned that even if a ceasefire remains elusive in the near term, more pressure must be applied to address the immediate humanitarian situation:

"If you accept that there's a non-trivial chance that we may not get there, we may not get there in the near term, I think it puts more of an onus then to put greater pressure on the Israeli government on the kind of finding the will to address the humanitarian situation."

Ultimately, the experts agreed that preventing famine and alleviating suffering in Gaza requires sustained attention, political will, and concrete action from all parties involved. As the crisis continues to worsen, the urgency for such steps only grows.

Article created from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlJ_xF0Ddh0