Israel has generated “famine-like conditions” in the Gaza Strip “while obstructing and undermining the humanitarian response,” according to a new report from the humanitarian group Refugees International.
The group’s research in Egypt, Jordan and Israel found that Tel Aviv “consistently and baselessly obstructed aid operations in Gaza, blocked legitimate relief operations, and resisted implementing measures that would truly improve the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
The report was based on interviews with dozens of government officials, aid workers and NGO members engaged in aid efforts on the ground in the three countries.
“Our research clearly shows that conditions inside Gaza are apocalyptic,” said the report released Thursday.
“After five months of war, Palestinians are struggling to find enough food, water, shelter and basic medicine. Famine-level hunger is already widespread and getting worse.
Non-compliance with the ICJ ruling
Refugees International also said Israel was “clearly failing to comply” with legally binding interim measures ordered on January 26 by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to facilitate the flow of aid and alleviate humanitarian suffering in Gaza.
In its defense before the ICJ, Israel claimed that it had actively removed bottlenecks and improved the entry and distribution of aid into Gaza.
The report reveals that Israeli authorities have “erected unnecessary obstacles, complicated logistical processes and an unpredictable control system, making the inspection regime extremely cumbersome with layers of bureaucracy and inspection and limited working hours.”
While Israel claimed to have increased its capacity to deliver aid to Gaza, the average number of trucks delivered in February actually fell by 50 percent compared to the previous month, according to United Nations data cited in the report.
Critical crossing points like northern Erez and Al-Muntar – known as Karni to Israelis – remain closed, preventing access to northern Gaza.
The report says Israel has failed to comply with the terms of a national security memorandum (NSM-20) issued in February by US President Joe Biden’s administration, which requires countries receiving US security assistance actively facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Logistical problems
Refugees International has found that logistical problems in Egypt and Jordan are limiting the distribution of life-saving aid to Gaza residents.
The Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, intended primarily for commercial deliveries, does not have the capacity to handle the substantial amount of aid the strip needs. Egyptian authorities have also sought to deter a large-scale humanitarian response in North Sinai, a military zone.
The report reveals that Egypt responded to pressure from Israel to open its borders to Palestinian refugees by intensifying its surveillance and regulation of access to the border area for humanitarian agencies, as well as its control of entry and of the exit of individuals to and from Gaza.
Charities providing aid to Gaza from Amman, the Jordanian capital, told Refugees International that Israeli officials had put in place “difficult obstacles” that did not exist before and had not yet provided assistance. clear standard operating procedures to the Jordanian authorities.
New obstacles, such as new inspection requirements, are also blocking aid at the Allenby Bridge crossing into Israel and at the Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) border crossing.
Calls for ceasefire
The report calls on the warring parties in Gaza to “immediately agree to a mutual ceasefire and the release of all hostages” as well as to “adhere to international humanitarian law and refrain from any actions that threaten the rights, the security and dignity of Palestinians and Palestinians.” Israeli civilians.”
The United States, Qatar and Egypt spent weeks trying to negotiate a deal under which Hamas would release Israeli prisoners in exchange for a six-week ceasefire, the release of some Palestinian prisoners and increased aid to Gaza.
But three days of negotiations with Hamas this week over a ceasefire in Gaza failed to produce a breakthrough, less than a week before the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan – informal deadline for a deal .
Refugees International also called for an end to attacks on civilians and infrastructure and to allow UN and humanitarian agencies access to populations in need.
Among other recommendations, it says Israel must refrain from “a military offensive in Rafah and other actions that could further displace Palestinians or worsen the humanitarian crisis.”
The Israeli military is preparing for a long-threatened ground invasion of the southern Gaza border town of Rafah, where more than half of the enclave’s 2.3 million residents have been forcibly displaced.
At least 30,800 Palestinians have been killed and 72,198 injured in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7. The death toll in Israel following the October 7 Hamas attacks stands at 1,139.
