Continued Humanitarian Access Denied in Gaza Amid Relentless Bombardment as Polio Threat Looms

13 August 2024

Aid organizations in Gaza face unprecedented challenges as vital resources and supplies remain blocked and staff are at risk of bombardment in so-called humanitarian zones

In a new report released today, Mercy Corps and other NGOs operating in Gaza highlight ongoing obstacles to delivering aid, including delays, blocked access, and dangerous conditions on the ground. Mercy Corps has been unable to deliver essential supplies since the Rafah incursion in early May because closed border crossings, insecurity, lawlessness, and bombardment in areas under Israeli military operation make collection and distribution impossible. During this period, we could have assisted 127,000 people with life-saving aid if not for these paralyzing access constraints.

Mercy Corps and other agencies describe how new evacuation orders and relentless airstrikes have forced over 200,000 Palestinians to flee since mid-July, many of whom had already been displaced multiple times. As of 29 July, the UN estimated that 86% of the Gaza Strip was marked unsafe by Israeli forces. Israel’s ongoing blockade has tightened, with only one northern crossing open at a time and just one checkpoint open for travel inside Gaza between the north and the south, leaving aid convoys stranded and essential supplies inaccessible.

One Mercy Corps staff member currently seeking shelter in Deir al-Balah describes rapidly deteriorating health and living conditions: “Sewage and wastewater are everywhere, and diseases are spreading in an alarming manner. The water is not clean, and despite knowing this, we have no choice but to drink it. Recently, a friend reported seeing people in the camps washing their belongings with wastewater, a situation that is both distressing and dangerous.”

The urgency for safe and unimpeded humanitarian access has escalated with the looming threat of a polio outbreak, after traces of the virus were detected in wastewater samples. Children under five are particularly at risk, including an estimated 50,000 babies born since the beginning of this war who have yet to receive any vaccinations. The WHO-led immunization drive, set to begin on August 23, is in jeopardy due to the ongoing violence and severe restrictions on humanitarian access. 

The continued denial of adequate access for humanitarian organizations is exacerbating this public health emergency. Without immediate action, the potential spread of polio and other preventable diseases will further compound the suffering of Gaza's civilian population.

The international community must urgently demand a ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian access. The siege tactics and ongoing violence are not just hindering the delivery of aid—they are creating the conditions for a public health disaster that will have long-lasting consequences.
 

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