In the photo: displaced Palestinians line up and wait to fill their containers with water in Gaza City
UNITED NATIONS, May 14, 2025 –
UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher has urged the UN Security Council to take immediate action to prevent what he described as a “21st century atrocity” in Gaza, as aid remains blocked and famine conditions intensify.
In a briefing to the Council, Fletcher said that no humanitarian aid has entered Gaza in over 10 weeks, and every one of the 2.1 million residents is at risk of starvation. He called on the international community to stop what he termed the systematic destruction of Palestinian life and warned that future generations will judge the global response.
According to Fletcher, 70% of Gaza is now either militarized or under displacement orders, forcing civilians into increasingly confined areas. Hospitals are overwhelmed, and disease is spreading amid worsening trauma. The blockade has left medical facilities barely functioning, with health workers describing extreme conditions and shortages.
Aid Access Denied
Fletcher criticized Israel for obstructing aid deliveries and condemned a U.S.-Israeli plan to distribute aid through private contractors, calling it a “cynical sideshow” that excludes vulnerable populations and weaponizes humanitarian assistance. He reiterated that UN agencies are ready to deliver lifesaving aid but are being denied access.
He stressed that Israel, as the occupying power, has a legal obligation to facilitate humanitarian relief and protect civilians. At the same time, he called on Hamas and other armed groups to release hostages and end practices that put civilians at risk.
Malnutrition Crisis Escalates
The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that 57 children have died from malnutrition since the blockade began in early March. WHO estimates nearly 71,000 children under five could face acute malnutrition in the coming months. Aid deliveries, including 31 WHO trucks, remain blocked at Egypt’s Al-Arish crossing.
Dr. Rik Peeperkorn, WHO’s representative in the occupied Palestinian territory, warned that prolonged shortages are causing irreversible harm. The lack of clean water, medicine, and nutrition threatens an entire generation with stunted growth and long-term health damage.
WHO also confirmed that an Israeli airstrike hit the burn unit of Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis on Tuesday, killing two people and injuring 12, including a Palestinian journalist. The attack eliminated 18 hospital beds, including eight intensive care units.
In the photo: destruction and damage in Rafah due to shelling and airstrikes. As people started going back to Rafah, WFP team went there to assess the needs and the situation there.
Wider Conflict and Destruction
The war, sparked by Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel that killed 1,195 people and led to 251 hostages being taken, has escalated into the deadliest conflict in the history of the Israeli–Palestinian struggle. Israel launched a full-scale invasion of Gaza, aiming to dismantle Hamas and recover hostages.
Since then, more than 52,000 Palestinians have been killed, over half of them women and children, and more than 110,000 injured, according to Gaza health authorities. The destruction has left large parts of Gaza uninhabitable, including cities, hospitals, schools, and cultural sites. Nearly the entire population has been displaced, with over 100,000 Israelis also displaced during the fighting.
Both Palestinian militant groups and Israeli forces have been accused of committing war crimes, including torture and sexual violence. The International Criminal Court (ICC) is reviewing evidence and has issued arrest warrants for leaders from both sides.
Fletcher concluded his address by demanding the Security Council act to protect civilians, ensure accountability, and uphold international humanitarian law. He warned that inaction would leave a permanent stain on the global conscience.
“The law, humanity, and reason must prevail,” he said.
