Palestinians wait to receive free food from a food distribution center in Gaza City, on May 2, 2025. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

GAZA, May 3 (Xinhua) -- The humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip continues to deteriorate as the Israeli blockade enters its third consecutive month, severely restricting the entry of food, water, and essential supplies to the coastal enclave, home to over 2 million Palestinians.

Across Gaza, long queues outside charity kitchens and food distribution points are common. In Khan Younis, the southern part of the territory, hundreds of residents wait for hours in hopes of securing a single meal.

"The situation is very difficult. There is not enough food or clean water," said Umm Rami, a mother of four, while waiting outside a distribution center.

Charity kitchens, often the only source of food for displaced families, are struggling to operate amid dwindling supplies. The majority of available food is sourced through limited humanitarian aid or local donations, both of which have drastically decreased due to the continued closure of border crossings.

"If the crossings remain closed, we may be forced to stop within days," Abdullah Skaik, supervisor of a charity kitchen in the al-Amal neighborhood of Khan Younis, told Xinhua. "We used to get rice, lentils, and flour enough to feed the masses. Now we are relying on leftover stock, which is almost gone."

Palestinians receive free food from a food distribution center in Gaza City, on May 2, 2025. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Israel halted the entry of goods and supplies into Gaza on March 2 following the expiration of the first phase of a January ceasefire agreement with Hamas. The second phase has yet to be implemented due to a lack of consensus between the parties.

Skaik described the emotional strain on both volunteers and the displaced families they serve. "We're watching malnutrition spread before our eyes. If something doesn't change, it won't just be hunger, it will be starvation," he explained.

The United Nations has warned of an impending humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, reporting increasing signs of acute hunger, particularly among children.

Despite ongoing efforts by local institutions and international relief agencies, aid workers say the current resources are insufficient to meet the vast and growing needs of the population.

Hamas accused Israel of employing "starvation as a systematic weapon of war," asserting that over 1 million children in Gaza are experiencing daily hunger.

The Palestinian presidency also condemned the ongoing blockade and military operations, urging the international community to act. In a statement issued via the official Palestinian news agency WAFA, the presidency called for urgent intervention to halt what it described as unprecedented violations against the Palestinian people.