Desperation in Gaza: A Year After the Attacks

 

By Kathleen Magramo

As the one-year anniversary of the October 7 attacks approaches, the situation in Gaza remains dire. Georgios Petropoulos, head of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) suboffice in Gaza, reported a deepening humanitarian crisis amid Israel's ongoing military offensive.

“People here remain desperate,” Petropoulos said, emphasizing the plight of families waiting for hostages still held in the enclave. He described a recent night in Rafah, where the sound of jets and shelling disrupted sleep, illustrating the unrelenting violence. “The only thing that’s left in Gaza is hope. Our supplies are almost zero.”

Israel's military campaign, aimed at dismantling Hamas, has escalated in the past week, with new offensives launched in northern Gaza. This conflict has resulted in over 41,000 deaths and left nearly 100,000 wounded, according to reports from the UN.

Petropoulos warned of the catastrophic consequences if the estimated 430,000 residents remaining in northern Gaza were forced to flee south. “If they come south, I have to be very clear – we have no idea where we will put them, what we will give them to eat, or how we will shelter these people,” he stated.

The recent uptick in violence has already displaced around 50,000 individuals from northern communities, including Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahia, and Jabalya, just within the last 24 hours.

With the situation growing increasingly desperate, humanitarian needs continue to rise. For ongoing updates, follow me on Twitter @dark_web24.