The United Nations has described the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza as “critical” in a major intervention on the deepening crisis.

Israel is poised to launch a major escalation of its military offensive – against move described as “deeply alarming” by Assistant Secretary General Miroslav Jenča.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is pushing for total reoccupation of the enclave while 2.1 million people fight starvation because of aid shortages.

The move has sparked panic of a wider regional conflict and a worsening of the famine inside Gaza.

The official spokesman of UN Secretary-General António Guterres praised the Express for its considered and fearless coverage of the disaster, saying: “The situation in Gaza is critical, and much more food needs to get in each day in order to keep the population of more than 2 million people from starving. We are working with the authorities on the ground to bring in more food and fuel, but the quantities coming in are still insufficient to meet the daily needs of the population.”

Directly referencing our balanced coverage of the humanitarian disaster and highlighting the suffering of innocents, Farhan Aziz Haq added: “We appreciate the work of the media around the world who have helped to keep the focus on the needs of the Palestinian people, which has helped to ensure that they are not forgotten in their time of need.”

Despite the existence of life-saving aid including food, water, medical supplies, and fuel, much of it remains stuck in warehouses, including inside Gaza.

Calls by the UN to end the suffering have largely gone unheeded, despite pleas by governments around the world.

The Hamas-controlled enclave blames Israel for impeding the flow of aid and equipment while Israel insists it abides by international law and claims a distorted picture has been given by terrorists who launched the October 7, 2023 massacre and tightly control the flow of information out of the territory.

The attacks prompted Isreal to unleash hellfire and fury on Hamas, its allies and proxies, and elicited a promise from Mr Netanyahu to wipe the terror cell from the face of the earth. The Israeli PM is now poised to fully occupy Gaza.

But as the world appeals for calm those trapped inside the enclave continue to suffer.

Aid deliveries currently average only 28 trucks a day – significantly below the 500 to 1,000 Gaza received daily before war erupted.

Humanity & Inclusion, which works alongside disabled and vulnerable people in 58 countries affected by poverty, conflict and disaster, said more than 83% of people with disabilities in Gaza have lost their assistive devices, leaving them unable to move, seek help, or evacuate.

It has led calls for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, an end to the siege, and the restoration of a UN-led humanitarian system with full, unrestricted access.

The charity said newborns denied formula and clean water are dying, while many are born with disabilities like cerebral palsy because of maternal malnourishment, with nutritional deficiencies weakening immune systems, worsening injuries, delaying healing, and compounding health complications, particularly among those already living with disabilities.

Executive Director George Graham told the Express: “We are witnessing the irreversible birth of a generation with lifelong disabilities, not because of a natural disaster or incurable disease, but because of man-made starvation and the systematic denial of humanitarian aid.

“Malnourished mothers are giving birth to babies with severe disabilities such as cerebral palsy. Their developing brains and bodies have to endure the horror of war even before they take their first breath.

“This is not just a crisis. It is a moral failure.

“My colleagues are working tirelessly every day to help disabled, injured and traumatised children and adults. But they are suffering as well: they too have been killed, starved and displaced. They tell us how they have to watch their children waste away in front of their eyes, how they struggle to function and not collapse while helping others. Humanitarian workers are a light in the darkness, but today this light is fading.

“Every day that passes the damage gets deeper, more severe and longer-lasting. It needs to end right now – through an immediate ceasefire, an end to the brutal siege and the free movement of aid.

“All children deserve a future, including those in Gaza. We must not give up on them – nor on the generations still to come.”