OCHA update: Civilians in Gaza face deadly violence, starvation as critical supplies run low

07 July 2025

OCHA warns that amid ongoing hostilities and attacks, more Palestinians in Gaza were reportedly killed over the weekend while attempting to access food. Partners report that several hospitals are overwhelmed, as they saw a surge in patients injured while seeking aid.

A recent assessment by the World Food Programme (WFP) shows that nearly one in three people is not eating for days, placing more people at risk of starvation.

WFP’s Deputy Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer, Carl Skau, visited Gaza city last week to speak with families and assess the humanitarian situation. Skau described the situation as the worst he has ever seen.

“It’s hard to find words to describe the level of desperation I have witnessed,” he said. “People are dying just trying to get food.” One mother told him she had gone to a kitchen hoping to find a hot meal and fainted there – there was nothing to eat, and she went home without anything for her children. Another father he met had lost 25 kilos in the past two months.

OCHA reiterates that in the face of massive and ever-increasing humanitarian needs, the Israeli authorities must open all available crossings, fully facilitate humanitarian access inside Gaza, and protect civilians – in line with their obligations under international humanitarian law.

Meanwhile, for the fourth straight month, the Israeli authorities have not allowed any fuel to enter Gaza. Virtually all of the UN’s remaining fuel has been allocated to life-saving efforts. Service providers such as hospitals have been rationing supplies, but this cannot sustain critical operations for much longer.

The absence of accessible fuel means no ambulances, no electricity for hospitals, and no clean water. Fuel is a lifeline in Gaza, and Israeli authorities must allow this commodity to enter without further delay.

Today, the UN and partners working in telecommunications warned that Gaza could suffer from an Internet blackout imminently due to the shortage of fuel.

Meanwhile, the Israeli authorities issued another displacement order yesterday for parts of Khan Younis – for the second time in two days. More than 50,000 people were estimated to be in the areas slated for displacement, which also include more than a dozen displacement sites, hospitals, ambulance centres, water wells, reservoirs and other life-saving operations.

Since the ceasefire ended in March, more than 700,000 people have been displaced – often more than once, with no safe place to go. Overcrowding is particularly acute in Al Mawasi and other coastal areas.

Yesterday, the UN Population Fund said that amid food scarcity and soaring malnutrition, women continue to bear an immense burden of finding food to feed their families. Most women report depression or suffer from nightmares and anxiety.

Meanwhile, inside Gaza, humanitarian teams continue their efforts to coordinate movements with the Israeli authorities. Yesterday, Israeli authorities denied three out of eight coordination attempts, hindering these teams’ ability to carry out critical operations.

The UN calls for immediate, unimpeded humanitarian access so that aid can reach people across Gaza, including in the north.