Israel Closes Gaza Aid Crossings Following Iran Missile Strikes

The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) justified the closure by claiming that food supplies currently within the strip exceed the population's nutritional needs. However, this assertion contradicts recent data from the World Food Program and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, which highlight widespread acute food insecurity and malnutrition. In May, UN reports indicated that hot meal deliveries had dropped significantly, reaching only a fraction of the population, while caloric intake remained well below minimum requirements.

The Humanitarian Impact

This is not the first time Israel has restricted access during periods of heightened military tension. Following a similar closure in late February, aid volume never fully recovered to previous levels, leaving medical systems crippled and evacuation routes blocked. Ahmad Alhendawi, regional director for Save the Children, condemned the move, stating that aid should never be weaponized. As international observers suggest that the escalation with Iran is being used to tighten the blockade, pressure mounts on the guarantors of the October ceasefire to enforce the agreement’s mandate for the full and sustained entry of humanitarian relief.