"Gaza’s Desperate Hunger: Israel’s New Aid Plan Covers Only 60% of Starving Population Amid Global Outcry"
In a harrowing update from the besieged Gaza Strip, Israel has announced a limited humanitarian relief plan that will initially provide food for only 60% of the population, despite warnings from global aid organizations that Gazans are facing “extreme deprivation” and are on the brink of starvation. According to a memo from the newly formed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), the initial rollout of food aid will support roughly 1.2 million out of Gaza’s 2 million residents. The initiative, crafted in partnership with the U.S. government and several international security contractors, is structured around “Secure Distribution Sites” (SDS) that aim to operate independently of Hamas influence. However, critics argue that this partial aid effort falls dangerously short of meeting the urgent needs of the civilian population, especially as Gaza enters its third month with almost no foreign aid entering due to an ongoing military conflict between Israel and Hamas.
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| Palestinian boys salvage bread from a makeshift bakery hit in Israeli strikes at the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip on May 8, 2025. |
The SDS system is meant to create a neutral, military-free zone where food, medical supplies, and hygiene kits can be distributed in a controlled and secure environment. The memo emphasizes that this zone will be located between the Philadelphi Corridor and the Morag Corridor, largely encompassing parts of southern Gaza, particularly the embattled city of Rafah. Those seeking aid must pass through military checkpoints and rely on authorized community representatives—around 5,000 to 6,000 individuals—who will collect food packages weighing about 40 pounds (18 kilograms) on foot, either weekly or bi-weekly. Each box will contain approximately 50 pre-packed 1,750-calorie meals, which humanitarian experts say may not be sufficient for larger or malnourished families already suffering from extended hunger.
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| Palestinians struggle to get donated food at a community kitchen in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, May 5, 2025. |
According to GHF’s internal documentation, the SDSs will be supported by armored transport convoys managed by American private security firms, including UG Solutions and Safe Reach Solutions, who previously played a role in securing the strategic Netzarim Corridor earlier this year. These steps are being taken to ensure that aid does not fall into the hands of Hamas, which Israel claims has repeatedly diverted humanitarian aid to support its military activities. However, multiple aid workers have raised concerns that the current logistical framework does not adequately address the chaotic and desperate conditions on the ground. Many fear that once the SDSs begin operations, massive crowds of starving civilians will rush the facilities, potentially overwhelming security and distribution teams and resulting in violent clashes.
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| Displaced Palestinians cross a checkpoint manned by US and Egyptian security at the Netzarim Corridor as people make their way from the south to the north of the Gaza Strip, on Salah al-Din road, in central Gaza, on January 29, 2025. |
An anonymous staffer from an international humanitarian group briefed on the plan told The Times of Israel that the SDS proposal “does not reflect the urgency or scale of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza,” citing severe food insecurity, displacement, and destruction of essential infrastructure, including bakeries, water supplies, and hospitals. The staffer also criticized the limited intake of 60 trucks per day at a single crossing point, noting that even before the conflict intensified, Gaza needed at least 400 to 500 aid trucks daily to maintain minimum nutritional and health standards for its population. This new plan falls drastically short of that benchmark, sparking fears that it may only serve as a temporary public relations solution rather than a viable, long-term humanitarian strategy.
Despite the public narrative of international cooperation, the plan is mired in political controversy. An Israeli official speaking anonymously confirmed that the country is actively encouraging other nations to accept Palestinian refugees as a way to ease the aid burden. However, no countries have yet volunteered to take in displaced Gazans, and many governments in the region see Israel’s efforts as pushing a form of forced emigration rather than a truly voluntary resettlement. The same official admitted that “Gazans are nearing starvation,” due to the near-total shutdown of humanitarian access since the ceasefire with Hamas collapsed on March 1, but added that there is currently no alternative plan with wider reach due to security concerns and political gridlock.
The United States has played a central role in shaping the aid initiative, with President Donald Trump dispatching his special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, to lead diplomatic efforts aimed at securing international funding and cooperation. Witkoff recently briefed United Nations Security Council ambassadors in New York, emphasizing the need for immediate action to avoid a full-blown famine. Meanwhile, GHF is still assembling its executive leadership team and is reportedly in discussions with former World Food Programme director and Nobel Peace Prize laureate David Beasley to head the organization. Sources close to Beasley suggest he is pushing for a broader, unconditional reintroduction of aid into Gaza as a prerequisite for taking on the role.
On the ground, the humanitarian reality is stark. With every passing day, the cost of delay is paid in hunger, disease, and rising desperation. Images from central Gaza’s Nuseirat refugee camp show children scavenging charred remains of a bombed-out bakery, while displaced families in Khan Younis gather outside makeshift soup kitchens hoping for a meal. The mood among the civilian population is one of growing despair, with many losing faith in both local leadership and international actors. The slow pace and limited scope of aid inflows are reinforcing a sense that the world has abandoned Gaza in its darkest hour.
Meanwhile, aid groups warn that conditions are deteriorating faster than aid frameworks can be implemented. They highlight the potential for civil unrest, breakdowns in social order, and even the re-emergence of armed conflict if the situation does not stabilize soon. “This is not just a humanitarian crisis—it’s a moral crisis,” one UN relief worker commented, stressing that the international community must act beyond politics to prevent further tragedy. The SDS system, even if it succeeds operationally, will only serve as a stopgap measure unless complemented by broader relief corridors, immediate ceasefire agreements, and accountability mechanisms to ensure equitable aid distribution.
The underlying tension in the Israeli strategy is the insistence on separating Hamas from humanitarian delivery while still lacking a viable Palestinian governing alternative. Critics argue that this vacuum of political authority ensures that any effort to bypass Hamas ultimately fails or triggers further instability. Without a legitimate, empowered local body to coordinate aid fairly and transparently, any distribution scheme risks either collapse or exploitation. Analysts suggest that Israel’s long-term strategic interest would be better served by supporting the formation of a non-Hamas-affiliated Palestinian civil authority in Gaza, one capable of gaining both domestic trust and international legitimacy.
As the crisis continues, it is becoming increasingly clear that partial aid solutions like the SDS framework may alleviate some immediate suffering but cannot address the structural root causes of Gaza’s humanitarian catastrophe. These include the prolonged blockade, continued military operations, lack of infrastructure, and political exclusion of Gazan voices from peace-building efforts. Without addressing these systemic issues, any humanitarian progress will likely be short-lived and insufficient to prevent a cycle of recurring emergencies.
In conclusion, while the Israeli-GHF plan represents a cautious step toward reopening humanitarian lifelines in Gaza, its initial coverage of only 60% of the population highlights the limitations of the current approach. With widespread hunger, international scrutiny, and growing regional instability, the world watches anxiously to see whether this initiative will evolve into a sustainable solution or merely serve as a temporary bandage on a gaping wound. Real peace, say many observers, can only come when humanitarian aid is no longer a battlefield tactic but a universal human right, guaranteed regardless of political affiliation or military control.