Essential services that sustain life - healthcare, emergency aid, and humanitarian access - are being systematically dismantled in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

A stark example of this escalation was highlighted by the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who confirmed that the Kamal Adwan hospital in North Gaza is now out of service. 

On 27 December, the facility was raided, its patients and staff were forcibly evacuated, and its director detained.

The humanitarian fallout has been severe. Ten patients were transferred to the Indonesian Hospital, which itself has since ceased functioning due to a lack of water, electricity, and sanitation. 

Of these patients, four were arrested by Israeli forces at a checkpoint, leaving the remaining seven patients, 15 caregivers, and health workers stranded in deplorable conditions.

Obstacles to humanitarian aid

The delivery of aid to affected areas has faced relentless obstacles. 

UN Associate Spokesperson Florencia Soto Niño-Martinez noted that over 150 attempts to access North Gaza since October had been denied by Israeli authorities. 

Even missions initially approved have encountered severe delays. Between 27 and 29 December, three out of four aid missions to the area were blocked.

One mission succeeded on Sunday, delivering basic medical supplies, food, and water to survivors evacuated from Kamal Adwan.

However, the situation remains dire. OCHA emphasised that it should not require breaking a siege to help survivors in critical need. 

“Aid workers must be granted safe and unhindered access to assist people wherever they are,” she said.

Looting and supply shortages

Armed looting has further exacerbated the crisis, with two incidents over the past three days in southern Gaza targeting dozens of truckloads of supplies.

These incidents not only reduce the availability of desperately needed aid but also expose aid workers to grave risks.

Meanwhile, Israeli restrictions on commercial and humanitarian imports continue to paralyse operations, leaving families in urgent need of food, shelter, and clothing as winter conditions intensify.

Urgent international action needed

The UN called on all parties to respect humanitarian principles in order to ensure the protection of civilians and the safe delivery of aid. 

As the crisis deepens, the international community must act swiftly to address the mounting needs and protect the most vulnerable.

The humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank remains precarious, with millions dependent on immediate, sustained support. 

For those trapped amid the violence, the stakes could not be higher.