Achi news desk-
The crisis in Gaza goes beyond mere statistics to reveal a profound human tragedy that continues to worsen. According to the latest figures from the Gaza health ministry, the conflict has claimed the lives of over 30,000 individuals, including 12,300 children and 8,400 women. In addition, 60,000 pregnant women struggle with malnutrition.
The United Nations has indicated that Gaza, which it now describes as having “simply become uninhabitable”, needs at least 300 aid trucks every day to meet the urgent needs of its population.
Meanwhile, Israel’s allies in the west are ineffectively grappling with their tarnished image as defenders of human rights. They supply weapons to Israel while at the same time sending airdrops of food that are just a drop in the ocean to the humanitarian needs on the ground.
The Red Cross estimates that the entire population of 2.2 million is experiencing food insecurity at emergency levels or higher, with some families reportedly sharing just “one can of food every 48 hours”. Currently, Israeli officials are said to be blocking the delivery of essential aid supplies, such as food, water, medicine and shelter, at checkpoints – although Israel has denied this.
Humanity flourishes. It has developed into an industry employing hundreds of thousands of individuals. But it is questionable whether this has translated into a more effective support system.
In 2018, the Action Learning Network for Accountability and Partnership (ALNAP) – a group of more than 100 government and non-government humanitarian organizations operating globally – estimated that 570,000 field personnel were involved in humanitarian missions. This figure does not include those employed at headquarters or directly by donors.
This wide network is part of a sector where operating budgets have grown faster. For example, funding for the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) has increased dramatically from US$1.2 billion (£945 million) in 1997 to more than US$14 billion in 2022. Yet, despite this, the people of Gaza are facing what is the biggest. observers now agree that a chance of famine is imminent.
Perhaps the most appropriate historical parallel is the airlift from Berlin in 1948, when a joint effort by the Allied forces – mainly the USA and Great Britain – succeeded in feeding and supplying 2 million people from West Berlin for a year.
Feeding west Berlin in 1948
The Soviet blockade of West Berlin by the Soviet Union emerged as a defining moment in the early stages of the cold war. Soviet forces attempted to force west Berlin by cutting off all land and water routes into sectors of Berlin administered by the allied powers France, Britain and the United States.
This aggressive move was designed to force the withdrawal of the newly introduced Deutsche mark and to challenge the allies’ determination to maintain their presence in Berlin.
In response, the Allies began a massive airlift of supplies to west Berlin. It was a massive logistical operation. The operation, called “Operation Vittles”, involved the use of air corridors over the Soviet occupation zone to deliver essential supplies such as food, fuel and medicine to the people living in the western part of the city.
At its height, the airlift saw planes landing in West Berlin every 30 seconds, a testament to the allies’ dedication to the mission and a clear rebuke to the Soviet blockade.
Niday/Alamy
The airlift was not just a military and logistical achievement; it was a significant humanitarian effort.
Over more than a year, allied air forces conducted over 278,000 sorties, delivering nearly 2.3 million tons of provisions, including food, fuel, and other essential supplies. It was initially perceived as a formidable challenge due to the vast area of Berlin and the significant needs of its people, and the campaign quickly transformed into a symbol of hope for the people of west Berlin.
The success of the plane extended beyond just helping the people of Berlin. It helped ease cold war tensions, demonstrating the west’s capacity for a coordinated, global response to Soviet hostility. This operation underlined the power of global cooperation with a humanitarian focus, setting a model for managing similar situations in the future with compassion and collective effort.
Lessons for Gaza
Applying lessons from Berlin to the current context of Gaza requires a sophisticated, multifaceted approach that goes beyond the logistical challenges of providing aid. This approach must also address the political obstacles that exacerbate the humanitarian crisis.
The particular circumstances of Gaza show that humanitarian airdrops are ineffective and costly. They would be unnecessary if the Israeli forces did not limit the options for access to the ground.
A strong international response will be needed to ensure that blockades and starvation are not used as methods of warfare. Israel’s allies must ensure accountability and verify that international humanitarian law is followed and upheld at all times. It is far from clear that this is the case in Gaza.
Read more: Gaza: food weapons have been used in conflict for centuries – but it hasn’t always led to victory
The dire plight of the Gaza population suggests that humanitarian aid has become politicized in this conflict. In 1948, when there was a clear political consensus in the west that the people of Berlin must be helped in their hour of need, it was possible to mount and sustain such a massive campaign.
Doing that again with the people of Gaza will take the same political will. It is not entirely clear, at least not yet, from the leaders of Israel’s western allies, that this political will exists. This is where a lesson can be drawn from Berlin, and it is a scandal that it is taking so long for this to happen.
