When the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, Gaza woke up to a heightened sense of peril. The regional escalation arrived as a population already exhausted by a years-long war faced new uncertainties about relief, healthcare, and daily life. The sense of a suddenly broader conflict set the tone for a humanitarian crisis that has lingered for more than two years.
Crossings and aid under pressure
Israel tightened control over Gaza’s crossings, further constraining the flow of humanitarian aid. On the first day of the Iran campaign, crossings were shut, disrupting trucks carrying essential supplies and impeding travel for patients seeking treatment abroad. After a few days, Kerem Shalom was temporarily reopened to a limited number of trucks, but the overall aid volume remained far short of the roughly 600 trucks per day needed to meet the territory’s needs. Fuel and heavy machinery for rubble removal and reconstruction also stayed tightly restricted, slowing recovery efforts.
Prices spike and the health system strains
Economists and aid agencies say the combination of fewer crossings and reduced imports pushed prices higher and squeezed the ability of international organizations to distribute aid. Some basic commodities for families, such as food and cleaning products, surged dramatically in price. UNICEF highlighted these spikes, noting that increases could reach the 200 to 300 percent range in some cases. Hospitals faced fuel and medicine shortages, limiting services at a time when care is desperately needed. The humanitarian picture is worsening quickly, according to aid observers.
Ceasefire violations and mounting casualties
Even as a ceasefire touted since October remains in effect in form, Israeli air attacks and artillery shelling continued in various Gaza areas. Medical sources reported deaths and injuries in Gaza City and the Nuseirat camp, with the Gaza health ministry reporting hundreds of fatalities and thousands more wounded since the ceasefire began. Analysts warned that the upheaval in international attention has given Israel more space to conduct limited operations without triggering a strong global reaction.
Gaza’s political vacuum and the stalled reconstruction plan
Observers stressed that Gaza’s political vacuum has deepened as Israel blocks work by a civilian administration formed to oversee governance, aid entry, and reconstruction. The Rafah crossing has been closed for the tenth day running, complicating the administration’s ability to fulfill its mandate. The ceasefire outlines a three-phase plan to halt fighting, release prisoners, and set the stage for withdrawal and rebuilding, but the second phase, initially pegged to begin in January 2026, stalled amid governance and disarmament disputes.
What the delays mean for daily life and future prospects
Economists and political analysts argue that Israel is leveraging the regional war to keep Gaza’s situation fragile and to postpone political progress. They point to ongoing restrictions on goods and services, and to the broader pattern of control over crossings and governance that keeps reconstruction far from reach. With around 60 percent of Gaza under Israeli control, observers say the territory risks remaining in a persistent state of instability unless substantive changes occur. The reality on the ground is a humanitarian emergency that is being managed rather than resolved.
