Two days after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced an end to the siege of Gaza, the United Nations reported that Israel continues to block essential food supplies from reaching the territory.

As of Tuesday afternoon, only five aid trucks had successfully delivered supplies to Gaza, and humanitarian workers were not permitted to distribute these limited offerings, according to Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN humanitarian office (Ocha), during a press briefing in Geneva.

Israeli authorities indicated that approximately 100 additional trucks had been approved for entry into Gaza but had not yet crossed into the region.

This meager allowance represents only a fifth of the daily aid previously sent to Gaza before the current conflict, which began on October 7, when Hamas launched attacks that resulted in the deaths of around 1,200 Israelis and the abduction of 250 others.

With over two million people in Gaza facing severe hunger due to an ongoing blockade lasting over 11 weeks, international criticism has intensified.

Netanyahu announced the decision to lift the siege amid concerns over a potential humanitarian disaster negatively impacting Israel's international standing.

Yair Golan, leader of the opposition center-left Democrats party and former deputy chief of staff for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), has criticized the Israeli government's approach, describing it as isolating the nation similar to the international condemnation faced by apartheid-era South Africa.

Golan highlighted the moral implications of the military campaign, stating, "A sane country doesn’t engage in fighting against civilians, doesn’t kill babies as a hobby, and doesn’t set the expulsion of a population as a goal."

Netanyahu responded to Golan's comments by labeling them as antisemitic, asserting that they undermine the IDF's legitimacy and Israel's integrity.

Following this exchange, Golan reiterated his criticisms, suggesting that while the conflict initially began as a legitimate response to aggression, it had devolved into a morally corrupt operation.

The discourse among Jewish Israelis has largely centered on issues such as the fate of hostages or military tactics rather than the humanitarian crises unfolding in Gaza, where reports indicate severe food shortages and widespread devastation.

Concurrently, anti-war protests in Israel have faced significant crackdowns by authorities, precipitated by far-right security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's stringent enforcement measures.

Activists protesting near the Gaza border, bearing images of Palestinian casualties, were detained under conditions that raised concerns about the treatment of dissent.

In Gaza, escalating Israeli military operations have exacerbated the dire humanitarian situation, with Israeli airstrikes reportedly causing at least 85 additional fatalities on Tuesday alone.

This includes casualties from bombings of civilian structures such as family homes and schools converted into shelters, highlighting the human cost of intensified military actions.

Israeli officials announced evacuation orders for central Khan Younis, the second-largest city in Gaza, designating it a “combat zone” and compelling displaced residents to move once more amid ongoing attacks across the region.

Thus far, the conflict has claimed more than 53,000 lives in Gaza, with the UN reporting over half of these as civilian casualties, including more than 28,000 women and children.