No emergency aid to northern Gaza - Israel intensifies ethnic cleansing

Israel is in the late stages of ethnic cleansing the northern Gaza governorate, says Oxfam. For fifty days, Israel has prevented Oxfam, partner agencies and other humanitarian organizations from delivering life-saving aid to thousands of starving people in northern Gaza.

Oxfam staff taking care of food parcels ready to be delivered to northern Gaza. Photo: Jomana Elkhalili/Oxfam

"Our staff in Gaza have been desperately trying for almost two months to reach starving civilians but have been blocked by the Israeli military. We know that many children are trapped and will starve to death."

Amitabh Behar, Chief Executive of Oxfam International

"Israel's ethnic cleansing of northern Gaza proves once again that it acts with impunity from international law. Israel is building infrastructure for a long-term military presence - a de facto annexation of the land - and burning any remaining hope for a just and peaceful solution."

Amitabh Behar, Chief Executive of Oxfam International

"The international community remains powerless and in some cases fully complicit. This is a dark moment in history when Israel subjects thousands of men, women and children to starvation as a weapon of war while world leaders are fully aware witnesses who choose to do nothing."

Amitabh Behar, Chief Executive of Oxfam International

Around 50,000-75,000 people are trapped without access to food, water or electricity. Israel claims they are co-combatants, as they have not left, or had the opportunity to leave. It is impossible to know how people are surviving or how many are dying in the northern Gaza governorate, including from malnutrition.

The UN has confirmed that there have been no fully implemented UN food deliveries to northern Gaza since October 6. All kitchens and bakeries have been shut down and work to provide nutrition has been suspended, including support programs for child malnutrition and for pregnant and lactating women. Israeli authorities have rejected all UN attempts to send in emergency medical workers and provide fuel to keep water and sanitation services operational.

"Northern Gaza is cut off - Jabalia, Beit Lahia, Beit Hanoun - there is only chaos and confusion, hunger and death. In the north, nobody can help those people - nobody - no food, no electricity, just starvation. It's terrible to think about."

Oxfam staff members

Oxfam's partner organization, Juzoor, still has staff working in northern Gaza. Juzoor's executive director, Dr. Umaiyeh Khammash, says the recent Israeli bombings have hit a shelter for the homeless run by Juzoor "causing panic and chaos", and one of Juzoor's 15 meeting places where "equipment was destroyed and medicine burned up", as well as a food and medicine storage facility run by the organization.

Dr. Khammash says the Juzoor staff "are stronger than us and send messages saying thank God there is something we can do". They are still providing some medical support from their centers that remain open, including helping women give birth. He describes people going without food and children dying of malnutrition. So far, Juzoor has lost ten employees killed by Israeli bombs.

Oxfam is part of the Food Security Cluster, which consists of UN and international agencies, all of which have been continuously denied permission to enter the northern governorate of Gaza since Israel escalated its military siege there on October 6 this year. Oxfam had received 1,840 food parcels and if permission had been granted, Oxfam could have delivered 800 parcels immediately, feeding 5,600 people.

Around 100,000 people have recently fled northern Gaza under Israeli forced displacement. Oxfam staff trying to help them have heard harrowing testimonies. Israeli soldiers have told people fleeing "don't dream of northern Gaza again" and have made false promises that food will be available at the end of their forced marches.

An Oxfam staff member says the forced displacement south to the neighboring region around Gaza City has led to overcrowding to such an extent that conditions there are now "starvation-like". Although he is responsible for Oxfam's aid distributions in the north, he himself can only eat one simple meal a day. He has been displaced ten times in a year.

"There is no market in Gaza City. We are in famine-like conditions here too. Last week we had 280 food parcels and we hope to deliver them here this week. The people who have been displaced from the north are in a really shocking state. At the same time, the southern part of Gaza is like another country completely separated from us."

Oxfam staff members

Across Gaza, including the south, an average of 37 trucks of aid entered every day last month and 69 a day in the first week of November. Prior to October 7 last year, 500 trucks a day of aid and commercial items used to cross into Gaza.

Oxfam is calling for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire and immediate humanitarian access to northern Gaza; access must be scaled up across Gaza and Palestinians must be given the freedom to return home, rebuild their lives and live in peace without occupation or blockade.