A New Round of Israel’s Attacks in October Brought About More Severe Hunger and Malnutrition While Humanitarian Aid Faces Political Hurdles

In October, Israel initiated a new round of attacks on the Gaza Strip. The IDF (Israel Defence Forces) deployed tanks for the first time in months, encircling Jabalia on October 6. On October 10, the Israeli military bombarded the Jabalia refugee camp, killing 17 people, including 9 children. It marked Israel’s third ground assault on the camp since the conflict began a year ago. Israel claimed Hamas is operating in the area. The assault has resulted in 41,870 Palestinian deaths.

On October 4, Israel launched an airstrike on a residential building in the Tulkarm refugee camp, causing 18 Palestinian deaths, including women and children. It is the deadliest incident carried out by Israeli forces in the West Bank since OCHA (United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) began systematically documenting casualties in 2005, stated by Lisa Doughten, the director of the Financing and Partnerships Division for OCHA.

On the morning of October 12, the Israeli military’s Arabic spokesman posted a message on social media, warning people living in the ‘D5’ area of northern Gaza to move south through Salah al-Din Road, the main north-south route. The message said: “The IDF is operating with great force against the terrorist organisations and will continue to do so for a long time. The designated area, including the shelters located there, is considered a dangerous combat zone. The area must be evacuated immediately via Salah al-Din Road to the humanitarian area.” The message underscores that the IDF will be using “great force… for a long time”. In other words, don’t expect to come back any time soon.

Blockade on Essential Supplies and Humanitarian Crisis

The attacks are accompanied by cutting off essential supplies. The UN said since October 1st, it had not been allowed to deliver essential supplies, including food, due to two nearby border crossings being closed and no deliveries allowed from the south.[1]

CNN reported that aid entering the strip has plummeted to its lowest level in months, putting 1 million people at risk of going hungry. In August, approximately 700 aid trucks entered northern Gaza. In September, only 400 aid trucks entered, after commercial operations ceased at the Allenby Crossing on the border between the occupied West Bank and Jordan. In October, no food trucks entered northern Gaza, according to WFP (World Food Program). Al-Banna Bakery and Zadna Bakery in Deir al-Balah, two of central Gaza’s main bakeries supported by the WFP, halted operations due to a lack of flour and fuel, bakery workers and residents told CNN.[2]

Cutting of deliveries is believed to be a strategy of Israel to force the surrender of Hamas and its leader Yahya Sinwar by increasing the pressure on the entire population of the north. The plan was proposed by a group of retired senior officers led by Maj-Gen (ret) Giora Eiland, a former national security adviser. On October 17, Yahya Sinwar was killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting a building in southern Gaza, according to reports from local sources.

People evacuated from northern Gaza, October 12, 2024 – (c) UNICEF/El Baba

“Since we already encircled the northern part of Gaza in the past nine or 10 months, what we should do is tell all the 300,000 residents [that the UN estimates to be 400,000] who still live in the northern part of Gaza that they have to leave this area and they should be given 10 days to leave through safe corridors that Israel will provide.”

“And after that time, all this area will become a military zone. And all the Hamas people still there, whether fighters or civilians, will have two choices: either surrender or starve.”

It is still uncertain whether the Israel Defence Force has fully or partially implemented this plan, but its actions indicate the strong influence on the tactics being employed against the population.[3]

Amnesty International Middle East and North Africa’s regional director Heba Morayef evaluates Israel’s strategy as “forcing people to choose between starvation or displacement, while their homes and streets are relentlessly pounded by bombs and shells.”[4]

Israel’s airstrikes also destroyed infrastructure. The only functioning bakery in the north, supported by WFP, caught fire after being hit by an explosive munition.

Hundreds of thousands of people were pressured to move south to Al Mawasi, the so-called “humanitarian” area, but southern Gaza cannot provide the necessary supplies of electricity, food, water, sanitation, and medical facilities.

A practitioner from Action Against Hunger said that the collapse of Gaza’s health system, restricted access to sufficient food, clean water, and hygiene items, the destruction of agricultural land and local markets, blocked roads, and poor shelter conditions have led to malnutrition. Additionally, the risk of disease may increase because many people are sleeping on the beach in storms and torrential rains, or in areas with rubbish where rainwater accumulates.

International Response and Political Hurdles Over Humanitarian Aid

The US sent a letter on October 13, exhorting Israel to ease humanitarian suffering in the territory by lifting restrictions on the entry of assistance within 30 days or face unspecified policy “implications.”[5] It stated that the US has deep concerns about the deteriorating humanitarian situation, adding that Israel denied or impeded nearly 90% of humanitarian movements between the north and south last month. This letter amounts to the strongest known written warning from the US to its ally.[6] The Israeli government has not responded to the letter. However, Israeli ambassador Danny Danon told the UN Security Council on October 16 that “the issue in Gaza is not a lack of aid.”

“More than enough aid has entered to sustain every civilian in Gaza, with over one million tonnes delivered since the war began. Yet, the challenges continue – yes, we admit that. And it’s not due to Israel’s failure to deliver humanitarian assistance.”

“The real issue is Hamas. This terrorist organisation has hijacked the aid, saving it for their own purposes. They steal and even sell the aid that is intended for Gazan civilians, turning humanitarian relief into a profit machine,” he said. Hamas has previously denied stealing aid.

Furthermore, the United States, UNRWA’s (United Nations Relief and Works Agency) top donor, froze its funding for UNRWA until at least March 2025 due to allegations that a number of UNRWA employees participated in the October 7 attacks.[7]

The UN has initiated several investigations into Israel’s broad claims, but has been unable to fully verify them based on the information Israel has provided.

Most nations, including the UK, Germany, and Canada, have reinstated funding following the recent UN investigations. But this still leaves UNRWA far short of what it says it needs.[8]

Political disputes are significantly impeding humanitarian efforts in Gaza, leaving civilians to bear the brunt of this inaction. Activists Without Borders call on the related parties and the international community to observe international humanitarian law, rise above political divisions, and prioritise human life, ensuring unrestricted access to food, water, and medical assistance. The people of Gaza cannot afford to wait any longer while politics obstructs urgent humanitarian relief.