'Starvation is knocking': UN says Gaza's humanitarian system is on its last gasp - Video

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres described the situation in Gaza as a “horror show” and warned that the humanitarian system is on the verge of collapse.

Speaking at a UN Security Council meeting in New York on July 22, Guterres urged the protection of aid workers and UN facilities, and called for serious diplomatic efforts to end the violence.

“Malnourishment is soaring. Starvation is knocking on every door,” Guterres said. “And now we are seeing the last gasp of a humanitarian system built on humanitarian principles. This system is being denied the conditions to function. Denied the space to deliver. Denied the safety to save lives.”

He expressed deep concern over repeated strikes on UN facilities, including buildings used by the UN Office for Project Services and the World Health Organisation — among them, WHO’s main warehouse.

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The Secretary-General condemned what he called “outright violations” of humanitarian law and urged countries to use diplomacy to stop the conflict from spiralling further out of control.

According to both the UN and Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 875 people have been killed while trying to access food since late May, many caught up in stampedes or shot during chaotic aid distributions. The U.S.-backed sea corridor, opened in May to bring aid into Gaza, has drawn criticism for poor planning and deadly crowd control failures.

The conflict, now in its tenth month, began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a deadly assault on southern Israel, killing 1,139 people and taking more than 200 hostages. Israel responded with a sweeping military campaign across Gaza.

Since then, nearly 60,000 Palestinians have been killed and about 140,000 wounded, according to Gaza health officials. Israel says its forces are targeting Hamas fighters and infrastructure, but the human toll, especially among civilians, continues to raise alarms worldwide.