Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza: A Report on the Impact on Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

• Recent events in Gaza, including significant civilian casualties during aid distribution and new evacuation orders, highlight a severe deterioration of the humanitarian situation.
• These developments represent a critical failure to uphold several core Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those concerning hunger, health, peace, and sustainable communities.

Violations of SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Incidents involving civilian casualties during the distribution of humanitarian aid directly contravene the core tenets of SDG 16, which aims to promote peaceful and inclusive societies and protect fundamental freedoms.

1. Northern Gaza Aid Incident: At least 67 civilians were reportedly killed by Israeli fire while awaiting UN aid trucks. Dozens more were wounded in this single event.
2. Southern Gaza Incident: Six other people were reported killed near another aid site in the south.
3. Military Response: The Israeli military stated its troops fired warning shots toward a crowd to remove an “immediate threat,” and that initial findings suggest casualty figures were inflated.
4. Daily Toll: Health authorities reported a total of 88 people were killed by Israeli actions across Gaza on Sunday.

Catastrophic Failure to Achieve SDG 2: Zero Hunger

The escalating food crisis has led to widespread starvation, representing a complete collapse in the ability to meet SDG 2: Zero Hunger.

• Starvation Warnings: The United Nations and the Gazan health ministry have issued warnings that hundreds of people are at risk of imminent death from hunger due to the scarcity of food and a collapse in aid deliveries.
• Malnutrition Data:
  • At least 71 children have reportedly died of malnutrition during the war.
  • An estimated 60,000 children are suffering from symptoms of malnutrition.
  • In a recent 24-hour period, 18 people were reported to have died of hunger.
• Aid Access: UNRWA, the UN refugee agency, has demanded that Israel allow more aid trucks into Gaza, stating it has sufficient food for the entire population that is not being permitted entry. This directly impedes progress toward SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.
• Economic Impact: Soaring food prices have made basic sustenance unaffordable for most of the population, deepening the crisis and undermining SDG 1: No Poverty.

Setbacks for SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

The conflict has devastated the healthcare system and created a public health emergency, severely compromising SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being.

• Overwhelmed Health Facilities: Hospitals are inundated with patients suffering from exhaustion and hunger, in addition to conflict-related injuries.
• Vulnerable Groups at Risk: A critical shortage of medicines, medical supplies, and infant formula places premature babies and other vulnerable individuals at extreme risk.
• Conflict Casualties: The Israeli military campaign has reportedly killed more than 58,000 Palestinians, displacing nearly the entire population and precipitating a profound humanitarian and health crisis.

Undermining SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

Forced displacement and widespread destruction have made large parts of the territory uninhabitable, directly conflicting with the aims of SDG 11.

• Forced Displacement: New evacuation orders were issued for neighborhoods in Deir al-Balah, an area already sheltering hundreds of thousands of displaced Gazans, forcing families to flee once again.
• Widespread Destruction: The conflict has reduced much of Gaza to a “wasteland,” destroying homes, infrastructure, and communities, making a return to safe and resilient living conditions impossible in the near term.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article highlights issues directly related to several Sustainable Development Goals, primarily focusing on the humanitarian crisis resulting from the conflict in Gaza. The key SDGs addressed are:

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger – The core of the article discusses widespread starvation, malnutrition, and the critical need for food aid.
• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being – The text details civilian casualties, the strain on hospitals, and health risks from malnutrition and lack of medical supplies.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions – The entire context is a violent conflict, with direct mentions of killings, military operations, and the breakdown of peace and safety.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities – The article describes mass displacement, evacuation orders, and the destruction of urban areas, making them uninhabitable.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s content, several specific SDG targets are relevant, highlighting a severe regression in these areas:

SDG 2: Zero Hunger

• Target 2.1: End hunger and ensure access to safe, nutritious and sufficient food. The article directly contradicts this by describing people killed while waiting for aid, “accelerating starvation,” and the “impossibility to find essential food.”
• Target 2.2: End all forms of malnutrition. This target is directly relevant, as the article states, “at least 71 children had died of malnutrition during the war, and 60,000 others were suffering from symptoms of malnutrition.”

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

• Target 3.2: End preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age. The deaths of 71 children from malnutrition represent a failure to meet this target. The risk to “premature babies… due to a shortage of medicines, medical supplies and infant formula” also relates to this.
• Target 3.d: Strengthen the capacity for early warning, risk reduction, and management of health risks. The article points to a systemic failure, with “hospitals… inundated with patients” and a “collapse in aid deliveries,” indicating a lack of capacity to manage the health crisis.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

• Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere. The article provides direct evidence of the failure of this target, citing numerous deaths: “At least 67 people were killed by Israeli fire,” “88 people had been killed by Israeli gunfire and airstrikes,” and the overall toll of “more than 58,000 Palestinians.”

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

• Target 11.5: Significantly reduce the number of deaths and people affected by disasters. The conflict is a man-made disaster. The article highlights its impact through “new evacuation orders,” “displaced Gazans,” and the fact that the war has “displaced almost the entire population.”

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article provides several direct and implied indicators that can be used to measure the situation against the SDG targets:

Indicators for SDG 2 (Zero Hunger)

• Indicator 2.1.2 (Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity): This is strongly implied by descriptions of “accelerating starvation,” residents having “one meal or no meal in the past 24 hours,” and the “impossibility to find essential food such as flour.”
• Indicator 2.2.2 (Prevalence of malnutrition): The article provides specific data points for this indicator, stating “at least 71 children had died of malnutrition” and “60,000 others were suffering from symptoms of malnutrition.”

Indicators for SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being)

• Indicator 3.2.2 (Neonatal mortality rate): This is implied by the mention of “Premature babies… at risk due to a shortage of medicines, medical supplies and infant formula.”

Indicators for SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions)

• Indicator 16.1.2 (Conflict-related deaths per 100,000 population): The article provides raw numbers that serve as a direct measure for this indicator, including “67 people were killed,” “88 people… killed,” and the total campaign death toll of “more than 58,000 Palestinians.”

Indicators for SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities)

• Indicator 11.5.1 (Number of deaths, missing persons and directly affected persons attributed to disasters): The number of people killed (“more than 58,000”) and the number of people affected (“displaced almost the entire population”) are direct measures for this indicator.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators’ to present the findings from analyzing the article.

Source: nbcnews.com