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The situation in northern Gaza has reached a critical point, as residents and relief organizations report a severe lack of humanitarian aid in the region. Despite the gradual reduction of Israeli troops, the area remains largely isolated and cut off from much-needed assistance.

According to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), very little aid has been allowed to reach the north, leaving people desperate for help. Food and fuel supplies are scarce, with reports indicating that residents have gone without aid for at least 50 days.

Rafiq Hajo, a 69-year-old resident from the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, expressed the dire conditions they faced, stating, "We had nothing left to eat. My children went out to look for food, but there was no market in the area. We were forced to take what we needed from supermarkets that had been bombed."

The UNRWA shelters in northern Gaza are also facing severe food shortages. Juliette Touma, the Director of Communications for UNRWA, described the limited food availability as "very, very alarming." Only a few UNRWA trucks have been able to reach the north, but they are quickly overwhelmed by people in desperate need.

A December report by the United Nations highlighted the catastrophic acute food insecurity conditions in Gaza. More than half a million people, or one in four households, are facing extreme food gaps and livelihood collapse. The northern Gaza region is particularly affected, with 45% of households experiencing emergency levels of acute food insecurity and 30% facing catastrophe levels.

Arif Husain, the World Food Program's Chief Economist, revealed the extent of the crisis, stating, "In Gaza at this moment, literally the whole population is in crisis level of hunger or worse. One-quarter of the population is literally starving." The situation is painted as extremely catastrophic by Maulid Wafa, a senior emergency coordinator for UNICEF in Gaza.

As international organizations strive to provide aid, the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), the Israeli authority in charge of coordinating aid to Gaza, maintains that efforts are being made to deliver supplies. However, these efforts are subject to security concerns and the need to prevent supplies from reaching the Hamas terrorist organization.

The northern Gaza Strip has faced relentless bombardments, leaving streets destroyed and cutting off vital services like electricity, water, and communication. The impact on the population has been devastating, with residents describing their daily struggle to survive. Yahya Al-Madhoun, who chose to stay in northern Gaza to help his family and neighbors, painted a grim picture of the situation. "Every day that passes is an escape from death for us," he said. "If we survive the bombing, we will not survive the hunger."

The desperate situation highlights the urgent need for increased humanitarian aid to the region. Without immediate assistance, the already dire conditions in northern Gaza could escalate into a full-fledged famine within the next six months, warns the World Food Program. As international attention turns to the plight of those affected, the hope is that urgent action will be taken to alleviate the suffering in northern Gaza.