Gaza Humanitarian Access Snapshot #7: (10 October - 13 November 2024) [EN/AR]

INTRODUCTION

Humanitarian aid entering Gaza has fallen to an all-time low. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) released an urgent alert on 8 November reporting that there is a strong likelihood that famine is already occurring in northern Gaza, and that immediate action is required within days, not weeks, to address the crisis. An average of only 37 humanitarian trucks per day entered Gaza in October, and an average of 69 per day during the first week of November. This is still well below the average of 500 per day which entered Gaza per working day before 7 October 2023, and was insufficient then to meet the needs of the population. The Israeli authorities have also restricted commercial trucks from entering since 2 October 2024.

Furthermore, merely counting the number of trucks is inadequate to assess whether affected populations received aid, nor the impact of the aid. The situation has dramatically worsened since the closure of the Rafah crossing in May, which was the main entry point for aid. Looting is an ongoing issue, a consequence of Israel's targeting of the remaining police forces in Gaza, scarcity of essential goods, lack of routes and closure of most crossing points, and the subsequent desperation of the population amid these dire conditions. According to media reports, Israeli forces are failing to prevent aid trucks from being looted and armed gangs from extorting aid organisations for protection money. In some cases, the remaining members of local police forces tried to take action against the looters, but were attacked by Israeli troops. Many incidents are taking place close by or in full view of Israeli forces, without them intervening, even when truck drivers asked for assistance.