Gaza Crisis Deepens: OCHA Warns Tactical Pauses Insufficient as Children Die from Hunger

The Big Picture

Four days into the unilateral tactical pauses declared by Israeli authorities, humanitarian conditions in Gaza remain catastrophic. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), civilians continue to suffer, with new casualties reported among those seeking aid and an alarming rise in deaths caused by starvation and malnutrition.

Children Are Dying from Hunger

Parents across Gaza are desperately trying to save their starving children amid collapsing nutrition and healthcare systems. In a social media post, UNICEF warned that “this is a condition that we can prevent,” emphasizing the urgent need for unhindered humanitarian access to prevent further child deaths.

Emaciated children and babies are dying from malnutrition in Gaza.

We need immediate and unhindered humanitarian access.

Without that, mothers and fathers will continue to be powerless to save a starving child from a condition we're able to prevent.👇 https://t.co/NbxVoQYeMz

— Catherine Russell (@unicefchief) July 29, 2025

Overwhelmed Aid Workers

Frontline humanitarian staff are facing extreme exhaustion and burnout. OCHA noted that the lack of food has also begun to affect mental health service workers and psychosocial support staff, further hampering the response effort in the enclave.

Medical Needs Are ‘Immense’

The World Health Organization stressed that the flow of medical supplies must be constant to address rising health demands. “The health needs in Gaza are immense. A continuous flow of medical supplies is critical,” the organization emphasized in a public update.

.@WHO has moved 10 trucks from Al-Arish in Egypt to the Kerem Shalom crossing for #Gaza, carrying essential medicines, laboratory and water testing supplies.

Two additional trucks with medical supplies along with 12 pallets of blood products are expected tomorrow.

All WHO…

— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) July 30, 2025

Access Barriers Remain Severe

While the UN and its partners continue to use the limited windows of access created by the unilateral pauses, OCHA said the procedures remain overly complex. For instance, UN drivers must receive mission approval from Israeli authorities, have secured travel routes, receive multiple greenlights for movement, ensure a pause in bombing, and wait for iron gates to be opened before crossing.

Fuel deliveries have also been constrained. Last week, the UN managed to bring in limited quantities of fuel through Kerem Shalom and Zikim crossings. Nearly half was transferred to northern Gaza to sustain hospitals, emergency services, and water and telecom operations. OCHA emphasized that current fuel entries are “a drop in the ocean” compared to the scale of life-saving needs.

Humanitarian Convoys Delayed

On July 30, OCHA confirmed that three missions successfully delivered food and fuel, but others were either delayed due to lack of movement clearance or canceled altogether. The report noted that even coordinated efforts are hindered by shifting approvals and last-minute denials from the Israeli side.

OCHA Renews Call for Ceasefire

In its statement, OCHA reiterated that only a permanent ceasefire and the opening of all crossings would allow humanitarian operations to meet the scale of civilian needs. It urged Israeli authorities to permit commercial and humanitarian goods to enter freely and allow safe movement of personnel.

The Bottom Line

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza shows no sign of abating. UN agencies warn that children are dying from preventable causes, aid workers are exhausted, and the current access policies remain dangerously restrictive. Without a full ceasefire and unrestricted aid routes, the situation is likely to worsen.

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