On the evening of Tuesday 25 March, the European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid, Hadja Lahbib, expressed her concern at the “alarming” reports coming out of Gaza, “where health personnel, ambulances and hospitals have come under Israeli attack – yet again”.
“These acts undermine the essential and heroic efforts of aid workers striving to save lives in the midst of hostilities”, she denounced in a press release. In her view, it is necessary to “ensure the protection of all civilians, including humanitarian workers and their premises at all times, as well as civilian infrastructure, including medical facilities, schools and UN premises”.
The Commissioner warned that humanitarian aid must continue to help those in need and called for respect for all civilians and humanitarian workers. “International Humanitarian Law must be respected by all”, she added.
Call for the resumption of humanitarian access. On Wednesday, representatives of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and several non-governmental organisations denounced the situation in Gaza, calling for the resumption of humanitarian access to the enclave and a ceasefire.
“Since 2 March 2025, nothing has entered Gaza. No food, no supplies, no medicines. This is the longest period since the start of the war”, on 7 October 2023, stressed Juliette Touma, UNRWA’s Director of Communications, at a conference in Brussels.
“It’s been 24 days and there are no positive signs that things could get better”, added Clémence Lagouardat, Oxfam International’s response lead in Gaza, during a video conference. “This threatens the lives of civilians”, warned Ms Touma, adding that food supplies were running out. According to Gavin Kelleher, Humanitarian Access Manager at the Norwegian Refugee Council, from this Sunday, bakeries will have no flour to supply bread.
Ms Lagouardat pointed out that operations to pump water or desalinate it required fuel oil, and that not a single litre had entered the Strip since 2 March. According to her, if the situation continues, Oxfam will no longer be able to carry out its operations within “a few weeks”. She pointed out that, since 18 March, when the strikes resumed and evacuation orders were issued - at least 120,000 people have once again been displaced or evacuated - more than 280 public water facilities are no longer accessible.
With the lack of medicines and medical equipment, “doctors have to decide who will live and who will die”, added Aseel Baidoun, Advocacy and Campaigns Senior Manager for Medical Aid for Palestinians. “The Palestinians feel abandoned by the international community and they are right to feel that way”, concluded American humanitarian surgeon Feroze Sidhwa, recalling that the international community had risen up when hospitals were bombed in Ukraine - where he was also an aid worker - but not in Gaza. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)