Entire Population Facing Famine As US-Israel Take over ‘Trickle’ of Aid
May 28, 2025—Israel and the United States implemented a new mechanism for aid distribution in the Gaza Strip under a controversial plan to replace UN-aid groups with military and private contractors. Facing pressure from the United Kingdom, France and Canada to allow aid into Gaza, Israel has allowed a small amount into the small enclave, but not nearly enough, humanitarian aid leaders say. Aid leaders say the population in Gaza is enduring the “darkest point yet” in the brutal conflict and occupation of the Israeli military.
Since the beginning of the war, Israel has faced a litmus test over how it would respond. Arguably, it has failed. Rather than fighting the Hamas militant brigades, the Israeli military has targeted the entire population, destroyed much of the Gaza Strip, forced the people to relocate multiple times, starved the people, and attacked civilians.
In its 600th day of its genocidal war, Israel instituted a new militarized system of aid distribution with the help of U.S. contractors. The stated goal is to take aid distribution out of the hands of Hamas. However, the plan to limit that aid distribution to a small area in the South suggest that the goal of the distribution mechanism is to forcibly transfer the population out of the Gaza Strip–a key part of a future Palestinian state.
Speaking today at a UN Security Council meeting covering the crisis, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Sigrid Kaag said the entire population of Gaza is facing famine. UN Secretary-General António Guterres released a video on the situation. He said Israel is obligated as the occupying power to allow aid into Gaza.
“Palestinians in Gaza are enduring the cruelest phase of the cruel conflict,” Guterres said.
Militarized-Distribution Replaces UN-Run Humanitarians
So far this week, the Israeli government has allowed a trickle of aid into Gaza after blocking all humanitarian food, water, and medical supplies for 80 days. On Tuesday, the new militarized distribution mechanism, which included U.S. contractors from UG Solutions, herded people into small barbed-wire stations. Today, starving people broke into a warehouse. Several people have been shot. Meanwhile, there were reports of Israeli settlers blocking aid trucks. Furthermore, some citizen reporters documented instances of aid in the form of flour bags from Türkiye being found in trash sites in Southern Israel.
Separately, aid groups organized through the forum Humanitarian Country Team, released a statement condemning Israel’s new distribution plan. The United States and Israel now insist on replacing UN-run organizations through the highly controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
“A new militarized distribution system has just been launched. As we have stated, it does not align with humanitarian principles, it puts people at risk, and it will not meet people’s needs, or dignity, across Gaza,” the Humanitarian Country Team forum said. “We will not participate in any scheme that undermines neutrality, impartiality, or independence. Aid must not be weaponized.”