Photo by Ahmed Jihad Ibrahim Al-arini/Anadolu via Getty Images
News report in Mondoweiss by Tareq S. Hajjaj documenting conditions in Gaza immediately after Israel closed all crossings on February 28, 2026, following the outbreak of the US-Israeli war on Iran. Palestinians rushed to markets that morning anticipating the closure and hoping to stock up on food and supplies. Despite Israel's claim that the closure would have no impact on the humanitarian situation, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs' (OCHA) weekly reports show that aid deliveries had consistently fallen short of the 600 trucks per day stipulated in the ceasefire, with the actual daily average of around 200 trucks appearing in border-crossing manifests. Food rations had already dropped from covering 100% of minimum daily caloric need in January to 75% in February 2026. Recommended for researchers documenting the humanitarian impact of the February 2026 crossing closures and the intersection between the US-Israeli war on Iran and Gaza's food security, with Hajjaj's ground-level reporting capturing the immediate response of Palestinians in Gaza to the closure.
