Qais Abu Samra
29 May 2026•Update: 29 May 2026
Palestine warned on Friday of a worsening humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip due to Israel’s continued military campaign, blockade and restrictions on humanitarian aid, describing the situation as a violation of international humanitarian law.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Israel continues to target civilians, infrastructure and displacement centers across Gaza despite the ceasefire agreement that took effect on Oct. 10, 2025.
The ministry said more than 1,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, have been killed since the ceasefire was announced, while thousands more have been injured due to continued Israeli attacks.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, 922 Palestinians have been killed and 2,786 injured in Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement since it entered into force.
The ministry said the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate as Israel maintains restrictions on border crossings, limits aid deliveries, and obstructs the regular flow of humanitarian assistance into Gaza.
It described the measures as a flagrant violation of international law, international humanitarian law, and relevant UN resolutions.
The ministry warned that continued Israeli restrictions threaten “a return to widespread famine,” citing warnings issued by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).
On April 30, Jonathan Fowler, director of communications for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), told Anadolu that Gaza was experiencing the most severe stage of its humanitarian crisis and that famine was the result of Israeli policies.
Despite the ceasefire, living conditions in Gaza have shown little improvement. Around 1.9 million displaced Palestinians, out of a population of 2.4 million, continue to live in makeshift shelters lacking basic necessities and facing harsh humanitarian conditions.
According to a previous World Food Programme report, around 1.6 million people in Gaza, or 77% of the population, face acute food insecurity, including more than 100,000 children and 37,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women.
The ministry called on international mediators, particularly the US, to pressure Israel to halt what it described as crimes against Palestinian civilians and to ensure full implementation of the ceasefire agreement and relevant UN resolutions.
The ministry also condemned remarks by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding plans to expand military operations and Israeli control over approximately 70% of the Gaza Strip.
It described the statements as a serious violation of the ceasefire agreement and a deliberate attempt to undermine international efforts aimed at ending the war and preventing forced displacement.
On Thursday, Netanyahu said Israel intended to expand the area under military control in Gaza to 70%, after acknowledging that Israeli forces currently control around 60% of the territory.
Israeli forces had previously announced control of 53% of Gaza after withdrawing to what they called the “Yellow Line” under the first phase of a ceasefire framework backed by US President Donald Trump.
The ceasefire agreement was reached after two years of war in Gaza that began on Oct. 8, 2023. According to Palestinian and UN figures, the conflict has killed more than 72,800 Palestinians and injured over 172,800 others, while destroying around 90% of the enclave’s civilian infrastructure.
*ًWriting by Sahin Demir in Istanbul.
