Palestinians in Gaza are being bombed and starved as Israel refuses to allow humanitarian aid or any other supplies to enter the enclave.
This total closure, in place since 2 March, comes as renewed attacks on Gaza have destroyed the fragile ceasefire.
Prior to the January ceasefire, Israel had carried out a relentless bombing campaign that flattened homes and devastated families for more than 15 months. The ceasefire enabled a significant surge in humanitarian aid, but now the situation is getting worse by the day.
An unprecedented escalation
More than 50,000 Palestinians have been killed – mostly women and children, including hundreds of infants – and over 114,700 injured since October 2023, with the actual figures expected to be much higher as large numbers of people remain missing.
Some 1.9 million people – 9 out of 10 people – have been displaced, often multiple times, from their homes and so-called safe zones since the violence began. Since the ceasefire collapsed, the Israeli army has once more ordered hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to leave their homes.
By tightening its blockade, Israel has caused severe shortages of food, water, medicine, and fuel, crippling every sector in Gaza, from healthcare to sewage.
Starvation has become a weapon of war, with Gaza on the brink of famine – 1 in 10 children are acutely malnourished, and people are starving to death.
The attacks have destroyed or severely damaged almost 70% of residential buildings, attacked hospitals and schools, and left areas littered with unexploded ordnance. Some 80% of commercial facilities have been destroyed, along with 68% of road networks.
Islamic Relief staff and partners in Gaza have witnessed unimaginable death and destruction that has left cities, towns and villages in ruins.
Our colleagues, many of whom are facing the same challenges as the communities they serve, continue their vital humanitarian work wherever and whenever they can.
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