Sigrid Kaag, Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza, addressed the press following her briefing to the UN Security Council on Monday (16 Sept).

She described the Gaza Strip as “hell on earth” and emphasised the urgent need for aid to reach Gaza’s residents to ensure they can live with dignity.

Kaag was questioned about her future role and the prospects for a ceasefire but expressed uncertainty.

She clarified, “I did not speak about ceasefire or prospects of a ceasefire,” and noted that, without being part of the negotiations, she could not predict the likelihood of a ceasefire.

Describing the deteriorating conditions in Gaza, Kaag observed that “every day that passes, life in Gaza is unlivable.”

She highlighted severe impacts such as children being out of school and people living in tents, contrasting these conditions with those before 7 October.

During the briefing, Kaag addressed the ongoing challenges in delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza, countering claims by the Israeli ambassador that enough aid and food were reaching the region.

Kaag pointed out that while trucks may be arriving at Gaza’s border crossings, distributing supplies to the people remains a major issue due to ongoing fighting and logistical obstacles.

“If we can’t retrieve it due to lawlessness or evacuation orders, it doesn’t really matter if it’s at the border,” she said, emphasising that aid must be distributed within Gaza to be effective.

Kaag also dismissed the notion that counting the number of trucks is a measure of success.

“It’s not about trucks. It’s about what people need in its totality as fellow human beings,” she said.

She stressed that current aid levels are far from adequate to meet people’s daily needs and allow them to live with dignity.

Regarding her cooperation with the Israeli government, Kaag described the interactions as constructive.

She reported receiving necessary facilitation, including meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and his war cabinet.

Kaag’s statements highlight the critical humanitarian situation in Gaza and the ongoing challenges in providing effective aid and resolving the conflict.

Humanitarian crisis in Gaza

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) released a report on Monday (16 Sept), detailing the severe impact of continued Israeli bombardments on civilian life in Gaza.

The report highlighted critical shortages in medical supplies, with public health facilities in southern Gaza facing over a 70% shortage of vital health items.

Restrictions imposed by Israeli authorities are exacerbating the crisis, particularly affecting vulnerable groups such as children, pregnant women, and those with compromised immune systems.

In addition, the report noted that the scarcity of basic hygiene products is worsening the humanitarian situation.

Community kitchens are struggling to clean cooking utensils, and shelters remain unclean, impacting personal hygiene and disease prevention efforts.

Access constraints and ongoing hostilities are severely hindering the delivery of life-saving aid, with aid convoys facing attacks and delays.

The Gaza Ministry of Health reports that since the ongoing assault on 7 October, at least 41,118 Palestinians have been killed, including nearly 16,500 children. Additionally, over 95,125 people have been injured.

An Israel Defense Forces (IDF) investigation has concluded that three Israeli hostages, Nik Beizer, 19, Ron Sherman, 19, and Elia Toledano, 28, were most likely killed as a result of an IDF airstrike targeting Hamas commander Ahmed Ghandour in November last year.

The report, released on 10 September, determined that while it is “highly likely” the airstrike caused their deaths, absolute certainty could not be achieved.

The three hostages were found in a tunnel complex in Gaza’s Jabaliya area on 14 December 2023. Their deaths followed an IDF airstrike on 10 November, part of an operation to neutralize Hamas’s Northern Brigade commander. The IDF has maintained that it had no intelligence at the time to indicate the presence of hostages in the strike zone.

IDF Probe and Hostage Families

The IDF’s assessment, based on intelligence reports, battlefield analysis, and forensic evidence, suggests the hostages died due to conditions resulting from the strike.

A pathology report from January 2024, presented to the families, found no evidence of direct trauma or gunfire wounds, further supporting the theory that the hostages died from factors such as lack of oxygen in the tunnels, potentially caused by the airstrike.

Ron Sherman’s mother has expressed frustration over the IDF’s handling of the situation, alleging that her son and the other hostages were “sacrificed for political gain.” Earlier this year, the Defense Ministry removed a stone she had placed on his grave, which accused the government of abandoning the hostages.

IDF Response and Public Disclosure

While the IDF expressed condolences to the families, it has faced criticism for delaying the public release of the investigation’s findings.

Channel 12 first reported that the military had informed the families about the likely cause of death in early September, but the official results were not disclosed until later. The IDF denied accusations of a cover-up, explaining that the investigation had not been completed until recently.

Casualties and Hostage Crisis

Similar incidents of Israeli captives being killed during military operations have occurred since the bombardments began on 7 October 2023.

Israel has been accused of killing dozens of its own citizens as part of its controversial Hannibal Directive, a military protocol used in hostage situations to prevent captives from being taken alive, even at the risk of their lives.

Palestinian officials in Gaza have also claimed that Israeli bombardments caused the deaths of several hostages inside Gaza, further complicating the conflict.

The health ministry in Gaza reported on Monday that at least 41,226 people have been killed in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinian militants, which has now entered its 12th month.

Additionally, 95,413 people have been wounded in the Gaza Strip since the war began following Hamas’s attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, which resulted in 1,169 Israeli fatalities and 251 people being abducted to Gaza.

As of now, 97 hostages from the October 7 Hamas attack remain in Gaza, including 33 confirmed dead. While some hostages have been released or rescued, this incident highlights the complexity and risks involved in military operations targeting Hamas amid the ongoing conflict.