Aerial deliveries to Gaza fall short in alleviating the escalating humanitarian predicament
In the embattled Gaza Strip, a humanitarian disaster is unfolding, with over 60,000 reported deaths since the conflict began in October 2023, according to Hamas-run local health authorities. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine (UNRWA) Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini has highlighted the challenges in delivering aid, stating that airdrops are 100 times more costly than land deliveries and less effective.
Last week, the Israeli military announced tactical pauses and humanitarian corridors for aid convoys in three Gaza regions. However, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarians Affairs (OCHA) reported that aid entering Gaza remains insufficient, with convoys facing delays and dangers. A tragic example of this was the death of a nurse in Gaza who was killed by a falling aid pallet during a drop.
The Israeli government, which controls Gaza's border, cut off supplies in early March but resumed limited aid deliveries in May. Despite this, the situation remains dire. A fuel delivery recently took 18 hours to travel just 24 kilometers (15 miles) in Gaza. The World Health Organization (WHO) has noted a sharp rise in malnutrition-related deaths among children in Gaza last month, and the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) warns that the "worst-case scenario of famine is unfolding" in Gaza.
The challenges in delivering humanitarian aid are numerous. Severe restrictions and blockades on the entry of essential supplies, ongoing hostilities, and infrastructure damage limit operational capacity. Since early 2025, no shelter materials or non-food items have been allowed to enter Gaza through crossing points, leaving humanitarian partners unable to replenish depleted stocks amid growing needs, with over 1.35 million people requiring emergency shelter items. Fuel shortages and damage to water systems further compound the crisis.
The collapsing health system and destroyed local food production mean that although food exists, many are at risk of acute malnutrition due to lack of access and economic collapse.
Key controversies surround the Israeli government's restrictions and proposed aid delivery schemes, which have been criticized for potentially forcing mass displacement and limiting aid access to vulnerable populations like children and people with mobility issues. Civilians attempting to access aid under current conditions have been tragically killed, emphasizing the dangers.
Effective utilization of land crossings for aid delivery requires opening all viable land crossings at scale, unimpeded humanitarian access for organizations to reach displaced and vulnerable populations across Gaza, a ceasefire or at least a significant reduction in hostilities, and restoring the UN humanitarian system and coordination to ensure aid reaches those in need efficiently and prevents starvation and malnutrition deaths.
The consensus among UN agencies, humanitarian organizations, and experts is that only sustained, unobstructed, and large-scale opening of land crossings combined with security guarantees will address the escalating humanitarian disaster in Gaza. Symbolic or limited aid deliveries, such as small airdrops, are widely seen as inadequate given the scale of need.
Gaza's 2.2 million residents face severe shortages, with many dependent on external aid due to the destruction of local food production. The aid situation is further complicated by looting, either by desperate residents or black-market dealers, and the danger faced by civilians attempting to access aid convoys.
On Tuesday, Israel announced it would partially reopen the entry of goods for trade in Gaza to decrease its dependency on humanitarian aid. However, Germany's Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has called on Israel to open land crossings for effective aid delivery, stating that the land route is crucial and Israel has a duty to prevent mass starvation deaths.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly blamed Hamas for looting aid and said that Israel was "vilified" by claims that there is hunger in Gaza. However, hundreds have been killed near distribution points managed by the GHF, allegedly by Israeli fire, raising concerns about the safety of aid workers and civilians.
[1] UN OCHA, "Gaza Humanitarian Situation Report 26" (2025). [2] UNRWA, "UNRWA Commissioner-General: Aid delivery remains insufficient and costly in Gaza" (2025). [3] WHO, "Sharp rise in malnutrition-related deaths among children in Gaza" (2025). [4] IPC, "Integrated Food Security Phase Classification: Gaza" (2025). [5] GHF, "Gaza Humanitarian Foundation: Addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza" (2025).
The Israeli government, which controls Gaza's border, needs to open land crossings for effective aid delivery, as highlighted by Germany's Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, to prevent mass starvation deaths in the Gaza Strip. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recorded a sharp rise in malnutrition-related deaths among children in Gaza, and the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) warns that the "worst-case scenario of famine is unfolding" in Gaza. This ongoing humanitarian disaster necessitates a collaborative effort from the world's science, medical, and health-and-wellness communities to devise sustainable solutions for this critical situation.
