115 Humanitarian Groups Sound Alarm Over Starvation Crisis in Gaza

The Big Picture

Over 115 humanitarian and rights organizations issued a joint statement Wednesday calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, as mass starvation continues to spread across the besieged territory. The organizations urged governments to take concrete action and end the ongoing siege, citing catastrophic conditions and rising hunger-related deaths.

What’s New

According to the statement signed by groups including Mercy Corps, Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), and Refugees International, humanitarian workers in Gaza are now joining the same food lines as the civilians they serve—risking their lives to find food.

“As the Israeli government’s siege starves the people of Gaza, aid workers are now joining the same food lines, risking being shot just to feed their families,” the statement read. “Supplies are now totally depleted, and humanitarian organizations are witnessing their own colleagues waste away before their eyes.”

The organizations accuse Israel of creating “chaos, starvation, and death” through bureaucratic restrictions and blockades, despite aid sitting at the borders or within Gaza unused.

What They’re Saying

“Each morning, the same question echoes across Gaza: will I eat today?” said one agency representative in the joint statement.

Humanitarian workers report daily massacres at food distribution sites, with the UN confirming at least 875 Palestinians killed while seeking food, including 201 along aid routes. Israeli military actions have also displaced nearly two million people, limiting access to just 12% of Gaza’s territory.

Doctors are seeing record levels of malnutrition among children and the elderly, while aid groups say their own workers are collapsing from hunger. “The humanitarian system has not failed. It has been prevented from functioning,” said the coalition of organizations.

What’s Next

The joint statement calls for:

• Immediate and permanent ceasefire
• Opening of all land crossings
• Removal of all administrative and bureaucratic barriers
• Rejection of military-led aid distribution models
• Restoration of UN-led humanitarian operations
• Halt to weapon and ammunition transfers to Israel

Organizations also warned against symbolic gestures like airdrops and called them “a smokescreen for inaction.” They urged states to act on their legal and moral obligations to protect civilians and deliver aid effectively.

The Bottom Line

With over 60,000 Palestinians reportedly killed since October and many now dying from hunger, global humanitarian groups are pleading for swift and sustained international action. Their joint message: the time for words has passed—governments must act to prevent further catastrophe.

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