Gaza Blockade Sparks Humanitarian Catastrophe: UN Calls It a 'Killing Field"

[CharlieH]

 

Key Developments:

• UN Chief António Guterres condemns Gaza blockade, calling it a "killing field" and urging global action.

• Aid Crisis Deepens: 25,000 aid trucks blocked, leaving hospitals overwhelmed and bakeries shut down.

• Death Toll Climbs: 1,449 Palestinians killed since March 18; 58 more in the last 24 hours.

• Israel Defends Actions: Claims no aid shortage, accusing UN of "spreading slander."

• UN Agencies Warn of Famine: Health systems on the brink, with food and medical supplies critically low.

Core Analysis:

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached a breaking point as Israel’s blockade enters its second month. UN Secretary-General António Guterres described the situation as a “killing field,” stating that civilians are trapped in an “endless death loop.” He accused Israel of violating international law by failing to ensure the delivery of food and medical supplies to Gaza’s 2.3 million residents.

 

Israel’s foreign ministry rejected these claims, asserting that “over 25,000 aid trucks entered Gaza during the ceasefire.” Spokesman Oren Marmorstein accused Guterres of ignoring facts and spreading “slander against Israel.” However, UN agencies report that aid deliveries have halted since the blockade resumed on March 2, leaving markets empty and hospitals rationing critical supplies like antibiotics and painkillers.

The blockade has exacerbated Gaza’s already dire conditions. According to a joint statement from six UN agencies, “all UN-supported bakeries have closed,” and fresh vegetables are scarce. The World Food Programme revealed that food prices have skyrocketed, with wheat flour costs increasing by over 450%. Hospitals are overwhelmed, forcing doctors to prioritize patients with the best survival chances while others die waiting for care.

 

The renewed conflict has also taken a devastating toll on civilians. Israeli airstrikes killed 58 Palestinians in the last 24 hours alone, including five children in Deir al-Balah. Since March 18, 1,449 Palestinians have died in Israeli attacks, according to Gaza’s health ministry. Israel insists its military targets Hamas militants and denies deliberately attacking civilians.

Guterres’ remarks follow a January ceasefire that briefly allowed aid into Gaza and facilitated the release of 33 hostages by Hamas in exchange for nearly 1,900 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. However, hostilities resumed after Hamas accused Israel of failing to honor its commitments under the truce.

Why It Matters:

The Gaza blockade is creating conditions that could lead to famine and widespread disease, violating international humanitarian law. With hospitals collapsing and food supplies dwindling, the crisis is becoming a test of global resolve to uphold basic human rights. The UN’s call for urgent action underscores fears that Gaza’s suffering could escalate into one of the worst humanitarian disasters in modern history.

 

Based on an article by BBC

 

10.04.2025

[thaibeachlovers]

True, but the UN will do nothing about it. The UN IMO is being exposed for being irrelevant in the real world. As long as the ( non ) security council has a veto, the US will ignore the revulsion of almost the entire world and enable the slaughter to continue.

 

A despicable event is unfolding in front of us and not a thing is being done to stop it. Western country "leaders" should be ashamed of their craven acquiescence in this tragedy that is happening in full view.

[BritManToo]

10 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

True, but the UN will do nothing about it. The UN IMO is being exposed for being irrelevant in the real world. As long as the ( non ) security council has a veto, the US will ignore the revulsion of almost the entire world and enable the slaughter to continue.

 

A despicable event is unfolding in front of us and not a thing is being done to stop it. Western country "leaders" should be ashamed of their craven acquiescence in this tragedy that is happening in full view.

I'm not quite sure why you think America should police the world.

NZ has a government, why don't they stop it?

 

Obviously it's sad that anyone is being killed anywhere.

But that's the way that part of the world operates, but it's not my business, and I can't stop it either.

[Yagoda]

Dont start wars, and if you do, dont whine about the results.

[thaibeachlovers]

Just now, BritManToo said:

I'm not quite sure why you think America should police the world.

NZ has a government, why don't they stop it?

What with? NZ doesn't have much of a military. I think most got PO at the poor pay and left a while ago. Only seems able to send a few to UN "observer" posts that do nothing to stop conflicts. The navy sank off Samoa a while back when it steered into a reef. NZ doesn't have a single combat aircraft. Perhaps they could send a Hercules to drop pamphlets on the Israelis asking them to play nicely.

Bit sad really, when one considers the quite renowned reputation it had post WW2.

 

Where did you get the fanciful idea that I think America should police the world, given the number of posts I have made saying the opposite? Perhaps you'd had had a long shag, and couldn't read properly at the time.

[BritManToo]

9 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Where did you get the fanciful idea that I think America should police the world, given the number of posts I have made saying the opposite? Perhaps you'd had had a long shag, and couldn't read properly at the time.

From this sentence ...........

"the US will ignore the revulsion of almost the entire world and enable the slaughter to continue."

[thaibeachlovers]

Just now, BritManToo said:

From this sentence ...........

"the US will ignore the revulsion of almost the entire world and enable the slaughter to continue."

Do you actually understand that the US is enabling the slaughter and preventing the rest of the world from doing anything about it?

 

What has that got to do with wanting the US to police the world? They don't have to actually DO anything- just not use the veto. Is that too hard to understand?

[Yagoda]

4 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Do you actually understand that the US is enabling the slaughter and preventing the rest of the world from doing anything about it

Good. Kill them, bomb them, starve them until the American hostage is released/avenged.

[Bkk Brian]

9 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Do you actually understand that the US is enabling the slaughter and preventing the rest of the world from doing anything about it?

 

What has that got to do with wanting the US to police the world? They don't have to actually DO anything- just not use the veto. Is that too hard to understand?

You're the one not understanding. Hamas are the ones enabling slaughter of their own civilians by not releasing the hostages and using the civilians of Gaza as their own human shields.

 

Only terrorists supporters fail to understand that basic fact.

[Eloquent pilgrim]

 

Free the hostages now; and the bodies of those that have been murdered

 

 

[stevenl]

45 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I'm not quite sure why you think America should police the world.

NZ has a government, why don't they stop it?

 

Obviously it's sad that anyone is being killed anywhere.

But that's the way that part of the world operates, but it's not my business, and I can't stop it either.

The other way round. US should stop policing the world, which they're doing here by using their veto.

 

[Eloquent pilgrim]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

True, but the UN will do nothing about it. The UN IMO is being exposed for being irrelevant in the real world. As long as the ( non ) security council has a veto, the US will ignore the revulsion of almost the entire world and enable the slaughter to continue.

 

A despicable event is unfolding in front of us and not a thing is being done to stop it. Western country "leaders" should be ashamed of their craven acquiescence in this tragedy that is happening in full view.

 

I agree that the UN has become an irrelevance, which was inevitable after UNRWA, and its 30,000 Palestinian workers, had been exposed as an agency of Hamas rather than an agency of the UN.

 

However, not sure why you are blaming the US veto; are you aware that just recently (22 March) The US proposed a resolution that called for an immediate and sustained ceasefire lasting roughly six weeks, that would protect civilians and allow for the delivery of humanitarian assistance, and that the resolution was vetoed by Russia and China.

 

Russia and China have historically abused their use of veto. The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) reveals that Russia and China’s 16 arbitrary uses of veto on Syria has contributed to the deaths of nearly a quarter of a million Syrians, and the arrest of nearly 150,000 others; of course, nobody on the left cares one jot about that, because they can’t blame the US or Israel.

 

 

 

[Briggsy]

1 hour ago, Yagoda said:

Dont start wars, and if you do, dont whine about the results.

The argument against that is that the population of Gaza did not start the war but Hamas.

[Eloquent pilgrim]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

What has that got to do with wanting the US to police the world? They don't have to actually DO anything- just not use the veto. Is that too hard to understand?

 

 

What veto have the US used that you are referring to that you think they should not have used; or did you accidentally type US instead of Russia & China ?

 

 

[Eloquent pilgrim]

8 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

The argument against that is that the population of Gaza did not start the war but Hamas.

 

Yes, who are the legitimate government of the population of Gaza; and many civilians of Gaza also took part in the 7th October massacre, as acknowledged by Hamas themselves.

 

 

[Eloquent pilgrim]

1 hour ago, stevenl said:

The other way round. US should stop policing the world, which they're doing here by using their veto.

 

 

I have read the original post and there is not any mention of the US using a veto; why are you making stuff up ?

 

 

[Nick Carter icp]

On 4/10/2025 at 4:45 AM, CharlieH said:

UN Chief António Guterres condemns Gaza blockade,

 

   The blockade didn't happen in  vacuum

[bannork]

Despair in Gaza as Israeli aid blockade creates crisis ‘unmatched in severity’

Many people the Observer spoke to said they are now more afraid of famine than airstrikes. “Many times, I have had to give up my share of food for my son because of the severe shortages. It is the hunger that will kill me – a slow death,” said Hikmat al-Masri, a 44-year-old university lecturer from Beit Lahia in north Gaza.

 

[Nick Carter icp]

19 hours ago, bannork said:

Despair in Gaza as Israeli aid blockade creates crisis ‘unmatched in severity’

Many people the Observer spoke to said they are now more afraid of famine than airstrikes. “Many times, I have had to give up my share of food for my son because of the severe shortages. It is the hunger that will kill me – a slow death,” said Hikmat al-Masri, a 44-year-old university lecturer from Beit Lahia in north Gaza.

 

  Certainly is a slow lingering death from hunger , they have been on the brink of mass famine and starvation for the last 18 months and still no one has deid from starvation 

[MalcolmB]

19 hours ago, bannork said:

Despair in Gaza as Israeli aid blockade creates crisis ‘unmatched in severity’

Many people the Observer spoke to said they are now more afraid of famine than airstrikes. “Many times, I have had to give up my share of food for my son because of the severe shortages. It is the hunger that will kill me – a slow death,” said Hikmat al-Masri, a 44-year-old university lecturer from Beit Lahia in north Gaza.

 

Very sad situation.

similar to the holocaust in many ways, entire families being annialated, starvation and cruelty.

 

 

19 hours ago, bannork said:

Despair in Gaza as Israeli aid blockade creates crisis ‘unmatched in severity’

Many people the Observer spoke to said they are now more afraid of famine than airstrikes. “Many times, I have had to give up my share of food for my son because of the severe shortages. It is the hunger that will kill me – a slow death,” said Hikmat al-Masri, a 44-year-old university lecturer from Beit Lahia in north Gaza.

 

[MalcolmB]

12 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

  Certainly is a slow lingering death from hunger , they have been on the brink of mass famine and starvation for the last 18 months and still no one has deid from starvation 

That is not true. People, especially young children have died of malnutrition and many more have died because a lack of medicine.

[Nick Carter icp]

1 minute ago, MalcolmB said:

Very sad situation.

similar to the holocaust in many ways, entire families being annialated, starvation and cruelty.

 

  Another anti semitic post from Malcolm, but well done for not mentioning Uncle Adolf this time 

[Nick Carter icp]

5 minutes ago, MalcolmB said:

That is not true. People, especially young children have died of malnutrition and many more have died because a lack of medicine.

 

   I now have a policy of not talking about young Children with Palestinian supporters .

   Young children is all they ever seem to go on about and they only thing that seems to interest them 

[MalcolmB]

48 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   I now have a policy of not talking about young Children with Palestinian supporters .

   Young children is all they ever seem to go on about and they only thing that seems to interest them 

Not much you can say really.

It is a tragedy.

A lot of those kids, even if the starvation doesn’t kill them will be affected negatively for the rest of their lives because of the starvation.  
Malnutrition in infants can lead to several negative consequences, including stunted growth, weakened immune systems, and delayed intellectual development. These effects can have long-term implications for the child's health, including an increased risk of chronic diseases and impaired cognitive abilities. 
It happened to a lot of Jewish kids who survived the Holocaust 

 

 

[Nick Carter icp]

1 minute ago, MalcolmB said:

Not much you can say really.

It is a tragedy.

A lot of those kids, even if the starvation doesn’t kill them will be affected negatively for the rest of their lives because of the starvation.  
Malnutrition in infants can lead to several negative consequences, including stunted growth, weakened immune systems, and delayed intellectual development. These effects can have long-term implications for the child's health, including an increased risk of chronic diseases and impaired cognitive abilities. 
It happened to a lot of Jewish kids who survived the Holocaust 

 

 

 

   As I said, If you want to talk about children, you will have to do it with someone else  .

   Palestine supporters seem to take a weird interest in Children and I don't want to be a part of that 

[Evil Penevil]

Warnings of "imminent famine" began soon after Israel launched its retaliation for the Oct. 7 attacks.  As you can see from the headlines  below, there have been many such warnings on a regular basis and I've only copied a small portion of them.

 

And of course, there are always two sides to the story.

25 June 2024  Key food security org finds no famine in Gaza, says previous assumptions wrong

UN-linked IPC finds no mortality data to prove famine is present, but states a ‘high risk of famine’ remains, describing food insecurity situation in Gaza as ‘catastrophic’
https://www.timesofisrael.com/key-food-security-org-finds-no-famine-in-gaza-says-previous-assumptions-wrong/

 

Some of the warnings:

11 October 2023  WFP provides critical food lifeline to people in Gaza and West Bank

https://www.wfp.org/stories/wfp-provides-critical-food-lifeline-people-gaza-and-west-bank

 

22 November 2023 As bombs and hunger haunt Gaza, WFP and partners push to ramp up support https://www.wfp.org/stories/bombs-and-hunger-haunt-gaza-wfp-and-partners-push-ramp-support

 

21 December 2023  Hostilities leave the entire population (of Gaza) highly food insecure and at risk of Famine  

In the projected period, between 8 December 2023 and 7 February 2024, the entire population in the Gaza Strip (about 2.2 million people) is classified in IPC Phase 3 or above (Crisis or worse). https://www.ipcinfo.org/ipc-country-analysis/details-map/en/c/1156749/

 

22 December 2023 Statement by UNICEF on the risk of famine in the Gaza Strip  

https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/statement-unicef-risk-famine-gaza-strip

 

9 Jan 2024  Gaza now the world’s worst hunger crisis and on the verge of famine

https://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/gaza-now-worlds-worst-hunger-crisis-and-verge-famine

 

1 February 2024  Palestinian Human Rights Organizations Warn of Food Insecurity and Widespread Hunger in the Gaza Strip https://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/palestinian-human-rights-organizations-warn-food-insecurity-and-widespread-hunger-gaza-strip-enar

 

27 February 2024 Famine Imminent in Gaza, Humanitarian Officials Tell Security Council, Calling for Immediate Ceasefire   https://press.un.org/en/2024/sc15604.doc.htm

 

18 March 2024 GAZA STRIP: Famine is imminent as 1.1 million people, half of Gaza, experience catastrophic food insecurity
https://www.ipcinfo.org/ipcinfo-website/alerts-archive/issue-97/en/
  
19 March 2024  Famine in northern Gaza is 'imminent,' warns the world's leading authority on hunger https://www.npr.org/2024/03/19/1239394316/gaza-famine-israel-humanitarian-aid

 

6 May 2024  The UN says there’s ‘full-blown famine’ in northern Gaza.
https://apnews.com/article/gaza-famine-world-food-program-israel-hamas-war-476941bf2dc259f85a706408b2a665ff

 

25 June 2024 The situation in Gaza remains catastrophic and there is a high and sustained risk of Famine across the whole Gaza Strip
https://www.un.org/unispal/document/ipc-famine-third-review-report-25jun24/

 

27 June 2024  New famine alert for Gaza where families go days without food https://palestine.un.org/en/

 

9 July 2024 UN experts declare famine has spread throughout Gaza strip
https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/07/un-experts-declare-famine-has-spread-throughout-gaza-strip

 

12 October 2024 The risk of Famine persists across the whole Gaza Strip https://www.ipcinfo.org/fileadmin/user_upload/ipcinfo/docs/IPC_Gaza_Strip_Acute_Food_Insecurity_Malnutrition_Sep2024_Apr2025_Special_Snapshot.pdf

 8 November 2024 ‘Looming catastrophe’: Experts warn of high risk of famine in northern Gaza
https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/11/1156746

 

12 November 2024 Warned of Imminent Famine in Northern Gaza, Speakers in Security Council Urge Immediate Ceasefire, Sustained Aid  https://press.un.org/en/2024/sc15895.doc.htm

 

13 November 2024   FAO warns of imminent famine in northern Gaza due to escalation of conflict, collapse of agrifood systems and constraints to humanitarian access

https://www.fao.org/newsroom/detail/in-a-briefing-to-the-un-security-council--fao-warns-of-imminent-famine-in-northern-gaza-due-to-escalation-of-conflict--collapse-of-agrifood-systems-and-constraints-to-humanitarian-access/en