Humanitarian Crisis Escalates: U.N. Condemns Israel's Aid Control in Gaza

Amid the ongoing conflict, Israel's controversial humanitarian aid program sparks criticism from the U.N. and European diplomats, drawing attention to the worsening conditions in Gaza as calls for a cease-fire continue.

In a recent escalation of humanitarian issues in the Gaza Strip, the United Nations has condemned Israel's new program regulating aid delivery as an "assault on their human dignity." The program follows over two months of withholding aid, which Israel claims is designed to prevent Hamas from seizing supplies but has drawn sharp rebuke from international observers.

Initial reports highlighted tragic scenes as two individuals tragically lost their lives during a chaotic break-in at a food warehouse in central Gaza. This came shortly after the initiation of Israel's new aid distribution system on Tuesday, which left dozens injured as desperate crowds surged towards a distribution site.

European leaders have voiced increasing discontent with Israel's actions, emphasizing that the use of force against civilians is unacceptable. "The disproportionate use of force and the deaths of civilians cannot be tolerated," stated Kaja Kallas, the E.U.'s head diplomat, who insisted that humanitarian assistance must remain neutral and unexploited.

Analysis from Patrick Kingsley, our correspondent in Jerusalem, suggests this criticism from the U.N. wasn't unforeseen, as warnings about the new system’s potential risks to civilian populations had been previously issued. The U.N.’s concerns focus on the notion that forcing civilians to travel greater distances to receive aid could exacerbate tragedy in an already volatile region.

Israel defends its measures, arguing the new system is a protective response to Hamas' alleged food hoarding. However, this rationing approach has raised fears that it may inadvertently facilitate Israeli strategies to displace residents in northern Gaza. In the backdrop of these events, President Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, has mentioned that the U.S. administration is drafting a new proposal that might foster a pathway to a lasting cease-fire amidst these rising tensions.