International organization TIKA distributes sustenance to Palestinians struggling with hunger in the Gaza Strip
In the Gaza Strip, a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented proportions is unfolding. The region is grappling with severe shortages of food, water, medicine, and hygiene supplies, leaving its population in a dire situation.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the primary UN agency for Palestinian refugees, has been severely restricted from delivering aid into Gaza since March 2025. As a result, only a fraction of the needed food assistance is reaching Gaza. According to recent reports, approximately 259,000 meals are being distributed daily, a 74% reduction compared to previous levels when over one million meals were served per day through community kitchens.
Furthermore, food convoys have brought in some 12,000 metric tons of food since late July, but more than 90% was reportedly lost to looting or offloaded by desperate crowds. One in three people regularly goes without food, and nearly half a million people face starvation and death conditions flagged as IPC Phase 5 "catastrophe" by projections through September 2025.
The medical crisis in Gaza has also worsened significantly, with UNRWA and other UN agencies not being allowed to bring any humanitarian aid, including medicines and medical supplies, into Gaza since March 2025. Hospitals are overwhelmed, and there have been major shortages of essential medicines and hygiene supplies.
Restricted access to clean water and hygiene products further aggravates the public health crisis. The destruction of 70% of infrastructure, including water and sanitation systems, has led to inhumane living conditions and increased the risk of disease.
Civilians and aid seekers face lethal dangers at aid distribution sites and convoys. Since May 2025, over 1,500 people have been killed trying to access food at militarized distribution sites, and thousands more have been injured due to Israeli military actions and armed groups' interference. UN experts have condemned these attacks as violations of humanitarian principles and possibly war crimes.
Amidst this dire situation, organisations such as the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) are providing essential aid. TIKA, a government organisation of Türkiye responsible for coordinating and implementing development aid and humanitarian assistance projects abroad, has been delivering food packages to 350 Palestinian families in Gaza.
The food packages contain various vegetables and have been crucial for civilians who face difficulty obtaining essential food items due to the blockade. TIKA's aid efforts in Gaza are not limited to food packages. The organisation also provides tents, beds, blankets, winter clothing, medical supplies, and medicines.
TIKA's aid operations in Gaza are not limited to the holy month of Ramadan. The organisation's Ramadan kitchens and food package distributions have assisted thousands of people in need during the holy month. TIKA remains committed to supporting Palestinians under difficult conditions and has provided thousands of families in Gaza with food parcels, tents, beds, blankets, winter clothing, medical supplies, and medicines since the start of Israel's attacks.
The blockade of Gaza has left Palestinians without access to basic necessities and fighting for survival. International and diplomatic efforts are being made to facilitate ceasefire and improve humanitarian access. Countries including the US, Qatar, and Egypt are engaged diplomatically to address the crisis.
In summary, humanitarian aid in Gaza is critically inadequate amid massive displacement, destruction, and conflict-related restrictions. Food, medicine, clean water, and hygiene supplies are in extreme shortage, with aid distribution hampered by violence and access barriers. UN agencies and international partners remain key providers but are operating under severe constraints with urgent calls for safe, large-scale access to prevent further famine and humanitarian catastrophe.
- The severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza has impacted various aspects of life, including education, as schools struggle to provide meals to students due to the shortage in food supplies.
- The importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and nutrition, especially during times of crisis, is emphasized as one in three people in Gaza regularly goes without food.
- The cultural landscape of Gaza is also affected by the crisis, as the restriction on food convoys has resulted in the loss of 90% of food supplies meant to support community kitchens and food-and-drink establishments.
- The scientific community and health-and-wellness organizations are working tirelessly to address the medical crisis in Gaza, where hospitals are overwhelmed, essential medicines are in shortage, and the disaster has created disease-prone living conditions due to the destruction of water and sanitation systems.
