Gaza has become the "hungriest place on Earth," according to the United Nations, as humanitarian conditions spiral and Israeli restrictions continue to severely limit the flow of life-saving aid into the besieged enclave.

The entire population of Gaza—2.3 million people—is now on the brink of catastrophic hunger, UN OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke said Friday. “Aid is being drip-fed,” he warned, calling the current relief operation one of the most obstructed in modern history.

The limited aid reaching Gaza is distributed by the newly-formed, Israeli- and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which has drawn sharp criticism for operating under heavy military surveillance and allegedly facilitating forced displacement.

At least 20 Palestinians were shot and wounded by Israeli forces while attempting to reach food distribution sites near the Netzarim Corridor, witnesses and hospital officials said. Previous incidents have led to deaths and reports of people disappearing after seeking aid.

Doctors Without Borders and other humanitarian groups have condemned the current model, accusing it of denying assistance to the most vulnerable. “Aid is not reaching those who need it most,” said the group’s Secretary-General Christopher Lockyear.

France added diplomatic pressure, with President Emmanuel Macron warning that sanctions may be imposed if Israel fails to respond to the worsening crisis.

Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes killed at least 30 people on Friday, and the military continues to issue new displacement orders. Nearly 200,000 people have been newly uprooted in the past two weeks alone, the UN says.

A new US ceasefire proposal is under Hamas review, but the group says it fails to guarantee an end to the war or unimpeded humanitarian access—casting doubt on the prospect of a truce.

Source: Al Jazeera 

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