Olga Cherevko, a staff member of the UN's humanitarian aid division, said the situation in Gaza is far more terrifying than most people realize, particularly due to the widespread famine ravaging the area.

In an interview with RT, she explained that even the UN is struggling to deliver basic humanitarian assistance to Gaza because of the numerous restrictions Israel has placed at border crossings, significantly hampering aid delivery.

She stated, “It takes 18 hours for aid trucks to travel from Deir al-Balah to Kerem Shalom, a journey of only 24 kilometers. We are forced to use damaged and overcrowded roads, which makes it extremely difficult to reach our destination.”

She added that during a recent ceasefire agreement, the UN had better access to deliver aid, but the situation has since deteriorated once again.

Cherevko warned that if the situation continues, the lives of over two million people living in Gaza are at extreme risk, noting that more than 1,300 people have already died while trying to obtain food.

She said, “The lives of more than two million people are in danger due to the escalating and brutal violence in the area.”

According to UN data, since April 2025, over 20,000 children in Gaza have been diagnosed with severe malnutrition, and 16 have already died of starvation.

The war between Israel and Hamas, which began in October 2023 after a surprise attack by Hamas that killed over 1,000 people in Israel, has led to an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. In retaliation, Israel launched a large-scale military campaign that has resulted in the deaths of more than 60,000 people, the majority of them Palestinians.

Recent reports by humanitarian organizations such as Oxfam and Doctors Without Borders (MSF) describe the situation as “beyond catastrophic,” with medical supplies running out, clean water nearly inaccessible, and food stocks depleted.

The UN has repeatedly called for a sustained ceasefire and the opening of humanitarian corridors to prevent what it now refers to as a “man-made famine.” Despite these calls, aid convoys continue to face restrictions, delays, and sometimes direct attacks, further worsening the already dire situation.