Humanitarian Logistics in Gaza: A Fragile Relief Lifeline Amid Conflict

As the protracted conflict between Israel and Hamas enters its third year, humanitarian logistics in Gaza stand at a precarious juncture even as the newly brokered ceasefire injects fresh hope into logistics planning.

Under the agreement, the UN aims to escalate aid delivery over the next 60 days: 600 trucks daily were initially proposed, with expanded medical deliveries, cash assistance to families, and shelter support ahead of winter.

But the implementation is already showing strain: Israel, alleging delays by Hamas in returning hostage remains, has cut the allowed daily trucks from 600 to 300. As of now, only a fraction of planned convoys are moving.

If the ceasefire collapses - a real risk amid rising tensions - famine could resurge. United Nations humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher has cautioned that gains are tenuous and could be reversed quickly.

The urgent demands of millions of civilians struggling with hunger, displacement, and collapsing infrastructure are colliding with operational constraints, security risks, and political wrangling, raising questions over whether relief flows can meet needs.

Bounded Access, Stalled Convoys

Since border crossings were partially reopened on 21 May 2025, over 1,800 aid trucks have entered Gaza, delivering food, medical supplies, and essential goods.

Humanitarian Logistics in Conflict Zones: Strategy, Negotiation and Resilience

But that volume remains far below what is required: to meet basic food needs alone, more than 62,000 metric tonnes per month are estimated. Many aid agencies warn that even the current inflow is precarious and subject to sudden restrictions.

At present, most aid enters via the Kerem Shalom crossing in the south, with occasional deliveries through other access points. Efforts to open the Rafah crossing (on the Egyptian border) for humanitarian traffic are underway - Israel’s COGAT agency confirmed negotiations with Egypt - but no definitive timeline has been set.

Israel has also emphasized that Rafah would not be used for aid, but rather for movement of people, a stance that has drawn criticism from relief groups pushing for more throughput.

Aid agencies and the UN have called on Israel to expand crossings and lift bureaucratic barriers, warning that current access is insufficient to prevent mass suffering. Fletcher has emphasized that Israel holds legal obligations to facilitate relief, and has warned that “aid must not be used as a bargaining chip.”

Competing Logistics Models and Controversy

One of the more controversial developments is the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US-backed, Israeli-approved aid distribution framework that has drawn blowback from established humanitarian agencies.

Some of its food distribution sites have already been shut down under the ceasefire, and critics argue it undermines neutrality, channels aid through military zones, and places civilians at risk. GHF’s use of biometric screening and private security oversight has drawn accusations of discriminatory access.

The UN and major NGOs remain cautious about partnerships and insist that any distribution model must adhere to humanitarian principles.

Security and Logistical Hazards

Even as the truce holds tenuously, logistics convoys must navigate damaged infrastructure, unexploded ordnance, and active conflict zones.

Humanitarian workers remain vulnerable: a March 2025 attack on ambulances and aid vehicles in Rafah killed 15 medical personnel - one of the deadliest strikes on aid workers in recent history. Such incidents deepen mistrust and complicate planning.

Hopes Amid Fragility

As relief agencies brace for a push in the coming weeks, their success hinges on three critical variables: sustained access through crossings, the durability of the ceasefire, and coordination that preserves humanitarian neutrality. Even modest reversals in policy or security could undo progress overnight.

In Gaza’s devastated terrain, logistics is more than transport: it is lifeline, politics, and reckoning all in one. For millions in need, each truck that moves is a narrow thread between survival and catastrophe.

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