OCHA: Military operations, supply shortages drive devastation in Gaza

15 August 2025

OCHA warns that the already dire situation in Gaza could worsen without a reliable, rapid, safe and unrestricted flow of supplies into the Strip.

It is imperative that humanitarians are enabled to deliver aid at scale, using community-based mechanisms to reach the most vulnerable. Without these conditions in place – and if military operations continue or escalate – more deaths, forced displacement and destruction are inevitable.

OCHA reports that people in Gaza are gravely concerned by the potential impact of an expansion of military operations in Gaza city. The UN reiterates that it will not participate in any forced displacement of the population. Fleeing civilians must be protected and have their essential needs met, and they must be able to voluntarily return when the situation allows.

The UN continues to receive extremely disturbing reports of aid seekers being killed and injured. Between 27 May and 8 August, the Red Cross Field Hospital in Rafah treated more than 4,500 wounded patients, most of whom reported that they were injured while trying to reach food distribution sites. People also report being injured in the crush of the crowd or being beaten and robbed of their supplies immediately after receiving them.

Between 27 May and 13 August, the UN Human Rights Office recorded that at least 1,760 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid – 994 in the vicinity of the non-UN militarized sites and 766 along the routes of supply convoys. No one should be killed for trying to access aid.

A key necessity for unhindered humanitarian operations is public order and safety. OCHA reiterates that more diverse supplies and routes must be made routinely available so that humanitarians can deliver aid wherever it is needed and build confidence within communities that those supplies will reach them.

The UN and its humanitarian partners report that ongoing delays and other impediments – including bottlenecks at holding points and interference in the loading process at the platforms – are impacting their efforts to collect supplies from the crossings and bring them to people in need. Yesterday, five out of 12 missions requiring coordination with Israeli authorities were facilitated without impediments. They included the collection of supplies from Kerem Shalom and the transfer of fuel to the north. Four missions were canceled by the organizers, while three others were impeded and only eventually fully accomplished – these included the collection of food aid from Zikim and Kerem Shalom crossings.

As the starvation crisis in Gaza continues, more deaths are being reported – including many children, who are regularly admitted to hospitals for malnutrition. The World Health Organization warns that many healthcare facilities have run out of bedspace to treat malnourished patients. Access to healthcare must be restored immediately.

Although the slight easing on the entry of commercial supplies has reportedly led to a drop in the price of some food items at local markets, energy prices have skyrocketed. Cooking gas has not been available in markets for the past five months, and firewood has become even less affordable. More people are resorting to using waste and scrap wood as alternative fuel sources for cooking, which exacerbates health and protection risks, and causes environmental hazards. Partners working on food security warn that both the quantity and quality of supplies entering Gaza remain far below the minimum requirements to meet people’s needs.