'We have nothing to give them,' says aid worker in Gaza
Aid organisations operating in Gaza have warned that humanitarian efforts are on the verge of collapse, following two months of a total aid blockade by Israel.
No food or medical supplies have entered Gaza since 2 March, and both international and local aid groups are running out of the few remaining resources, Amjad Rawwa, Executive Director of a Gaza-based Palestinian NGO network partnered with ActionAid Ireland, told RTÉ News.
"Only one-tenth of community kitchens offering free food are still running.
"They can provide people with just one dish of rice. There's no fresh food, no eggs, no milk - and no meat, for sure," he said.
Without a resumption of humanitarian deliveries, those kitchens are expected to run out of food within days.
Amid relentless bombardment, the daily search for water and food has become a desperate routine.
"Each morning, one part of the family queues for water trucks, while others head to the community kitchens - waiting hours for a small portion of rice," Mr Rawwa said.
Local markets offer little. Prices have soared, putting basic goods far beyond the reach of most families. A 25kg bag of flour now costs up to $350, while a kilo of tomatoes can fetch $15.
"People have lost their income. They simply can't afford to buy anything.
"I sometimes have to go to a community kitchen myself."
The social and economic fabric of Gaza has been torn apart, Mr Rawwa added. Farms and food production facilities have been destroyed, leaving the enclave completely dependent on outside aid.
"It's an engineered catastrophe," he added.
Water access is also critically limited. Wells repaired during the ceasefire are now in evacuated areas, unreachable for many.
No medical supplies have reached Gaza in the weeks of total blockade, with the lack of polio vaccines among the biggest fears for the aid groups. The few hospitals still functioning are overwhelmed, treating mostly those injured in airstrikes.
The NGO network receives daily calls from residents pleading for insulin, heart medication and other life-saving treatments.
"We have nothing to give them," Mr Rawwa said.
Gaza also faces a mounting waste crisis threatening public health and hygiene. Waste collection systems have collapsed, and tonnes of rubbish now line the streets. Displaced families, forced to move repeatedly, are pitching tents amid the pollution.
Mr Rawwa is calling for urgent international intervention to protect civilians - especially children.
"They have big dreams. But if crossings aren't opened soon, I'm scared of what we'll see in the coming days."
According to media reports, the United States, Israel and a new international foundation are close to agreeing a plan to resume humanitarian deliveries to Gaza, without them being controlled by Hamas.
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