Gaza Lifelines Collapse as UN Warns of Severe Shortages

Young boys fill water containers in Gaza.

The last remaining lifelines for civilians in Gaza City are collapsing as Israel intensifies military operations, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Thursday.

The warning comes as UN Palestine refugee agency UNRWA called for foreign journalists to be allowed into Gaza to counter the “information war,” including denial that famine is spreading.

OCHA reported that in five days, 11 UNRWA premises serving as emergency shelters for about 11,000 people were damaged by direct or indirect hits.

More than one million people have been displaced since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas collapsed in mid-March. Around 200,000 displacements were recorded over the past month, including 56,000 since Sunday.

Despite restrictions, UN agencies are providing life-saving support. Humanitarians collected over 12,500 metric tonnes of food supplies from Israeli-controlled crossings this month, served nearly 560,000 meals daily, and screened children for malnutrition. UNICEF dispatched over 200,000 packs of nutrient-rich baby food and 10,000 boxes of high-energy biscuits for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

Nearly 900 pallets of essential medical supplies, 120 ICU and emergency beds, and four anaesthesia machines were delivered to hospitals. Water distribution, desalination, and solid waste collection continue, along with the distribution of 1,000 hygiene kits.

OCHA warned that aid falls far short of needs. Some crossings, including Zikim in the north, remain closed, while Israeli authorities classify certain food items as “luxuries,” delaying critical supplies.

UNRWA Commissioner-General Phillipe Lazzarini renewed calls for international journalists to enter Gaza, calling it “a battleground of a fierce information war.” Disinformation is used to deny atrocities and dehumanize Palestinians. Lazzarini stressed the need for independent reporting to support Palestinian journalists and ensure accurate coverage of the humanitarian crisis.