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Israel’s Total Blockade of Gaza Has Created ‘Catastrophic’ Conditions, Doctors Say

The New York Times's profile
The New York Times
2h ago

The ongoing Israeli siege on Gaza has led to catastrophic conditions, with severe shortages of food, water, and medicine causing a surge in preventable illnesses and deaths. The blockade has been in place for over 60 days, severely impacting the lives of approximately two million people in Gaza, who are already suffering from nearly two decades of partial blockade. The humanitarian situation is dire, with 91% of the population facing food insecurity, and local aid efforts are overwhelmed as supplies dwindle. Malnutrition is exacerbating the healthcare crisis, as hospitals struggle with medicine shortages and the inability to provide adequate care for conditions like kidney failure and malnutrition-related complications. Calls from humanitarian agencies and the UN to lift the blockade go unheeded, while the situation continues to deteriorate, causing widespread suffering and despair among Gazans.

Israel’s Total Blockade of Gaza Has Created ‘Catastrophic’ Conditions, Doctors Say

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is dire due to Israel's total siege, which has halted all aid, leading to severe shortages of essential supplies such as food, water, and medicine. This has resulted in a sharp increase in preventable illnesses and deaths, with doctors describing the situation as catastrophic.

Gaza's population, living under a partial blockade since 2007, now faces extreme challenges with nearly 90% displaced and relying on charity kitchens for food. The prices of remaining foodstuffs have skyrocketed, making them unaffordable for the impoverished population, further exacerbating the hunger crisis.

Medical facilities are overwhelmed, with essential medicines depleted and healthcare providers forced to ration treatments. Dialysis sessions, for example, have been reduced, endangering patients' lives, while burn victims are unable to heal due to malnutrition.

The blockade has severely impacted clean water production, with Gaza's desalination plants operating at minimal capacity due to fuel shortages. Many Gazans resort to drinking unsanitary water, leading to outbreaks of diseases like jaundice and diarrhea.

Humanitarian organizations and the UN have issued urgent appeals to lift the blockade, warning that the situation is on the verge of total collapse. Despite these pleas, the blockade persists, attributed to political tensions, with Israel arguing the sufficiency of provisions and accusing Hamas of hoarding supplies.

Access to aid and supplies is further complicated by bureaucratic hurdles and security measures, which prevent the distribution of remaining stocks in Gaza. This has led to a desperate situation where essential items and medical care are inaccessible to those in dire need.

The psychological and physical toll on Gazans is profound, as they face daily struggles for survival, with malnutrition visibly affecting their health and wellbeing. The ongoing siege continues to devastate the population, with little hope for relief in sight.

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