The United Nations has warned that Gaza is sliding deeper into humanitarian catastrophe following the closure of all crossings and the suspension of aid movements.

Speaking at the daily briefing, UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the regional escalation “is already affecting people and disrupting humanitarian services.”

Israeli authorities have closed all crossings, including Rafah, halting humanitarian movements and medical evacuations. Planned rotations of aid workers have also been postponed, further straining an already fragile response system.

Gaza’s population depends almost entirely on external supplies.

“People in Gaza… rely on a steady flow of humanitarian and commercial goods from outside,” the spokesperson said, warning that years of destruction and limited storage capacity make any interruption devastating.

Aid agencies had struggled to maintain deliveries despite restrictions. That effort, the UN stressed, “cannot continue under a full blockade.”

According to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, partners have been forced to ration dwindling fuel stocks, prioritizing life-saving operations “albeit at reduced capacity.”

Bakeries, hospitals and desalination plants are all affected. Waste collection has stopped. Without fuel, the UN cautioned, “there is very little that we can do.”

In parts of Gaza City, residents are surviving on as little as two litres of drinking water per day. Prices of basic commodities are climbing, compounding the suffering of families already facing displacement and bombardment.

Meanwhile, residential areas continue to endure strikes “from the air, land and sea,” placing civilians at constant risk.

The UN reiterated that international humanitarian law is unequivocal: “Civilians must be protected and their essential needs met,” including through the unimpeded delivery of aid.

As crossings remain closed and supplies dwindle, humanitarian officials warn that time is running out for Gaza’s civilian population.