August 7, 2025 | 10:52 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip has reached a critical point. Since being completely blockaded by Israel on March 2, 2025, the region has been facing severe shortages of food and medicines.
Volunteers from the Indonesian Medical Emergency Rescue Committee (MER-C), who remain in Gaza, reported that food availability in local markets is extremely limited.
"The current food situation is critical. The availability of food in the market is very limited, consisting only of flour, potatoes, one or two types of vegetables, cooking oil, nuts, and rice," said a MER-C volunteer in Gaza, contacted by Tempo on Wednesday, August 6, 2025.
Protein sources such as chicken, meat, and eggs are no longer available. "If they are found, they are sold at very high prices, 10 to 20 times the normal rate," the volunteer added.
For instance, granulated sugar is now priced at around 520 Israeli shekels (approximately Rp2 million) per kilogram, compared to the usual price of 9 shekels for 3 kilograms.
Unmet Nutritional Needs
The lack of food variety is disrupting the nutritional balance of Gaza’s population. MER-C volunteers said the current food supply fails to provide balanced nutrition, as it mainly meets carbohydrate needs with minimal vitamins and essential minerals.
"It is clear that the needs for protein and fat are not being met," they stated.
Due to these conditions, most people in Gaza rely on humanitarian aid coming through limited entry points such as Zakim, Netzarim, and Rafah. Meanwhile, the Indonesian MER-C team can still meet their daily food needs, as they brought supplies when they entered Gaza.
Humanitarian assistance to Gaza has faced major delays and restrictions in recent months. However, the MER-C clinic in Al-Mawasi recently received some support from UNICEF.
This aid, in the form of supplements, vitamins, and additional food, is aimed at combating malnutrition.
"We have to be selective in distributing aid. The current focus is on infants, toddlers, and pregnant women suffering from malnutrition," a MER-C representative explained.
Forced to Choose Patients
The restrictions on medical supplies have also impacted healthcare services at the MER-C clinic. Medications such as antibiotics, analgesics, and drugs for metabolic diseases are extremely limited. Surgical supplies are also scarce, forcing medical teams to make difficult choices in the field.
"With heavy hearts, we sometimes have to tell the families of patients who are unlikely to survive that they must accept the situation, as even surgery would not save them," the volunteers said.
"It's difficult to say this, but the reality on the ground is harsh."
Rising Death Toll and Health Crisis
The Gaza government accuses Israel of deliberately blocking over 22,000 humanitarian aid trucks from entering the region.
According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, as of Wednesday, 193 people have died from starvation, including 96 children. In the past 24 hours alone, five more deaths have been recorded.
The Ministry also warned of a sharp rise in cases of acute flaccid paralysis among children, driven by malnutrition and severe infections.
Three deaths have been confirmed due to Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that causes sudden numbness and muscle weakness throughout the body.
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