“A Death Sentence” – Aid Agencies Warn of Israel’s Assault on Gaza City

Gaza City, 12 September 2025 – Forty nine humanitarian and civil society organizations warn that Israel’s assault on Gaza City amounts to a death sentence.

Intensified Israeli military attacks on Gaza City and forced displacement orders for the entire city are leaving families with an impossible dilemma: flee and risk death on the road and in overcrowded displacement areas, or stay and face relentless bombardment in their shelters. Starvation and siege await them regardless.

“Our only demand is life,” said Ayman (name changed), a father sheltering with his family in Gaza City. “We are humans just like you. We want to live with dignity and safety, not to die from hunger or bombs.”
Nearly one million Palestinians, starved, grieving, and displaced many times over, remain in Gaza City. If Israel’s operation in Gaza City continues, hospitals will be cut off and attacked, shelters and schools bombed, aid convoys blocked, and those too weak, old, or sick to flee will be left to die. “We are tired of running from one place to another,” said Abeer (name changed), a humanitarian worker.

At the same time, Israel is deliberately obstructing humanitarian operations. Aid trucks continue to be denied, and international NGOs are left in limbo by an opaque registration regime, even as famine deepens.

The International Court of Justice has recognized that Palestinians in Gaza have a right to be protected from genocide. Each act of forced displacement and each surge of hunger makes that danger more certain, and the world cannot claim it did not see this coming.

Let our goods enter. Let us work. Stop this assault.

Signed by 49 Humanitarian and Civil Society Organizations

1. ActionAid
2. Action For Humanity
3. American Friends Service Committee
4. Anera
5. Asamblea de Cooperación por la Paz
6. A New Policy
7. Campaign Against Arms Trade
8. Caritas Internationalis
9. Caritas Jerusalem
10. Caritas Middle East & North Africa
11. Christian Aid
12. Churches for Middle East Peace
13. CISS – Cooperazione Internazionale Sud Sud
14. Danish Refugee Council
15. Danske Hus i Palæstina
16. Diakonia
17. Embrace the Middle East
18. Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
19. HelpAge International
20. Humanity & Inclusion – Handicap International
21. Humanity First UK
22. Insecurity Insight
23. INSO
24. Islamic Relief
25. Japan International Volunteer Center (JVC)
26. Médecins Du Monde France (MdM France)
27. Médecins du Monde Switzerland (MdM Switzerland)
28. MedGlobal
29. Medico International
30. Médicos del Mundo (Spain)
31. Mennonite Central Committee
32. National Justice and Peace Network England and Wales
33. Norwegian People’s Aid
34. Oxfam
35. Pax Christi Flanders
36. Pax Christi International
37. Pax Christi München
38. Pax Christi Scotland
39. People in Need
40. Plan International
41. Premiere Urgence Internationale
42. Rebuilding Alliance
43. Saferworld
44. Secours Islamique France
45. Solidarités International
46. Terre des Hommes Italy
47. The Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA)
48. Vento di Terra
49. War Child Alliance