United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned on Friday that Palestinians in Gaza are enduring “the cruelest phase” of the ongoing war, as Israeli airstrikes intensify and humanitarian aid efforts face growing chaos and insecurity.
Despite Israel’s partial easing of its blockade and allowing limited aid trucks to enter Gaza, looting and logistical barriers have crippled delivery efforts. The World Food Programme reported that 15 of its trucks were looted in southern Gaza, reflecting the desperation caused by food shortages. Of nearly 400 trucks cleared, only 115 were collected, Guterres noted, calling the aid a “teaspoon” when a “flood” is needed.
Israeli strikes continued across the territory, killing at least 71 people on Friday, according to Gaza’s civil defense agency, while attacks also hit hospitals and civilian infrastructure. The overall death toll in Gaza since the war resumed on March 18 has now surpassed 3,673, with the total war casualties reaching over 53,800, most of them civilians.
Aid deliveries resumed this week after a long suspension since March 2, but the volume remains far below the levels seen during a six-week ceasefire earlier this year. UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said Gaza’s population has been “starved” for over 11 weeks, and looting should come as no surprise under such dire conditions.
As airstrikes pound Gaza and rockets are intercepted over Israeli territory, civilians on both sides remain caught in a deepening humanitarian and military crisis, with no signs of a renewed ceasefire or lasting peace.
