During the Gaza war, humanitarian aid entered into the Gaza Strip via air, land and sea. Early in the war, significant issues arose with humanitarian aid. Israel's initial blockade on Gaza, immediately following the 7 October attacks, prevented the entry of humanitarian aid for several weeks. As the war progressed, aid was allowed at limited quantities. Entities such as Oxfam, the European Union, United Kingdom, and United Nations stated that Israel is deliberately blocking humanitarian aid. These limitations have contributed to a severe humanitarian crisis and a risk of famine. Israeli airstrikes and continued restrictions on aid entry led to widespread shortages of food and supplies. Distribution of aid within Gaza has also been an issue. Thousands of truckloads of aid piled up as armed men stop convoys, threaten drivers, and rifle through the cargo. Lawlessness was reported by PBS to be a major obstacle to aid distribution to southern and central Gaza. Gaza's police have refused to protect aid convoy after airstrikes killed eight police officers in Rafah.
Humanitarian aid agencies warned of the dire humanitarian consequences of aid restrictions, particularly after major Western donors announced they would cease funding UNRWA, the major aid relief agency in Gaza, and Israel passed legislation to ban UNRWA from working in or with the State of Israel.