Since 7 October 2023, the Gaza Strip has been the scene of a humanitarian catastrophe of unimaginable proportions. The numbers speak for themselves: the number of victims has exceeded 168,000, with over 51,000 dead and nearly 117,000 injured (OCHA). Between 18 March and 22 April alone, 1,691 Palestinians were killed, a third of them children and a fifth women.
But behind these figures lies an even more dramatic reality of aid blockades, mass displacements and a population on the edge of survival.
Humanitarian workers are also paying the price for this conflict. As of 9 April, at least 412 have been killed in Gaza, representing more than half (56%) of the total number of aid workers killed worldwide over the past year and a half.
‘The situation is close to collapse. The conditions in which we are working remain extremely complicated,’ says Giulio Cocchini, a CESVI worker in Gaza. ‘What used to be the humanitarian zone, which somehow protected part of the population, no longer exists. Two-thirds of the Strip is inaccessible and since 2 March no humanitarian aid or commercial cargo has been coming in. We continue to work with the supplies accumulated during the ceasefire, but they are running out,’ he adds.
Indeed, since 2 March, the entry of humanitarian aid and commercial goods into Gaza has been totally blocked. This is the longest closure ever, an action that is driving the population to the brink. In parallel, at least 419,000 people are estimated to have been displaced again since 18 March, a desperate exodus involving more than 89,000 families. As of 15 April, 70% of the territory is under evacuation orders or designated as a ‘no-go zone’. This forces 2 million people to concentrate in just 108 km², an area about half the size of Milan.
Water and health: water and sanitation crisis
‘People are literally starving. There is no drinking water, no food, no fuel. We continue to distribute drinking water where we can access it, we build latrines in the camps and in some schools, we install cisterns, we take care of water channelling systems. We have a load of sanitation kits blocked at the border and we do not know when we will be able to receive them,’ says Cocchini.
Access to water and sanitation (WASH) has become a mirage for most of the population. According to the UN, 91 per cent of households in Gaza are water insecure. Water production is drastically reduced and access to sources is prevented by evacuation orders. Added to this is the estimated 50% to 65% loss of water due to damage to the distribution network (OCHA).
The lack of clean water and adequate sanitation has a devastating impact on public health.
With more than 90 per cent of households in water insecurity, people are forced to make extreme choices: rationing water, forgoing personal hygiene, risking their health to survive.
Almost all the camps are also located in hydrogeological risk zones, with serious health hazards from rodent and vermin infestations, rubbish accumulated in the sun and untreated open sewers (SMC).
Hunger and markets on their knees: rampant food insecurity
Four out of five Gazawis – 80% of the population (WFP) – are completely dependent on food distributions to survive. But the blockade of aid has forced a drastic reduction in rations and the capacity of kitchens for hot meals. At best, people are only able to access one meal a day, which is insufficient to ensure adequate caloric and nutritional intake.
Food prices have skyrocketed, with increases ranging from 150% to 700% compared to pre-conflict levels.
Essential foodstuffs such as dairy products, eggs, fruit and meat have all but disappeared. The population’s diet has become extremely restricted. Legumes and bread have become the only sustenance foods.
Acute malnutrition is worryingly on the rise. In March alone, out of 91,000 children screened, 3,700 were admitted to clinics for treatment. The blockade of aid has also reduced the capacity to provide additional therapeutic food to children at risk of malnutrition by 70%.
The situation in Gaza is a cry of alarm that cannot be ignored. Immediate action is needed to guarantee access to humanitarian aid, protect civilians and aid workers, and restore decent living conditions for an exhausted population. Cesvi is at the forefront in responding to this emergency, but everyone’s support is essential to make a difference. DONATE NOW.