UN Relief Chief Condemns Israel’s Gaza Blockade as “Brutal,” Urges Access for Humanitarian Aid

May 01, 2025: In a forceful appeal to the international community and the Israeli government, UN relief chief Tom Fletcher has described the ongoing blockade of Gaza as “brutal” and called for immediate humanitarian access to the embattled region. Fletcher, who serves as Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, urged Israeli authorities to allow aid workers to carry out life-saving operations amid a deepening crisis in the Gaza Strip.

“The blockade is not only suffocating an entire population, it is obstructing the delivery of critical aid,” Fletcher said during a press briefing in Geneva. “Let humanitarians save lives. That is our plea — not as a political demand, but as a moral and humanitarian imperative.”

The remarks come as Gaza continues to face widespread devastation from ongoing Israeli military operations, which have escalated in response to the October 2023 Hamas attacks. According to UN agencies and independent aid groups, more than two million residents remain trapped in Gaza, many of them without access to clean water, electricity, medical supplies, or safe shelter.

Fletcher emphasized that humanitarian workers are being denied access to areas in desperate need of food, medicine, and emergency care. “The situation on the ground is catastrophic,” he said. “Hospitals are overwhelmed, clean water is nearly nonexistent, and entire neighborhoods have been flattened. We cannot do our jobs if we are blocked from entering.”

The UN has repeatedly warned that the ongoing blockade and lack of aid access could result in a full-scale humanitarian collapse. Aid convoys have been delayed or turned back at border crossings, while medical and food supplies sit idle due to security and administrative restrictions.

Fletcher’s comments add to the growing chorus of international concern about the humanitarian toll of the conflict. Multiple governments, NGOs, and religious organizations have echoed the call for unfettered access to Gaza and a sustained ceasefire to facilitate relief efforts.

Israeli officials have defended the blockade as a necessary measure to prevent weapons smuggling and protect national security. However, critics argue that the restrictions disproportionately harm civilians and violate international humanitarian law.

“The suffering of civilians cannot be collateral damage,” Fletcher said. “We are not asking for open borders — we are asking for corridors of compassion. Let us bring food to starving children. Let us bring medicine to the wounded. Let us bring dignity back to the people of Gaza.”

Despite the bleak outlook, Fletcher reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to delivering aid by any means possible and called on the international community to press for a diplomatic breakthrough.

“We are ready. Our teams are on standby. But without access, our hands are tied. And every hour we wait, more lives are lost.”