Localization of Humanitarian Action in Gaza as a Field Imperative, Not an Institutional Choice

Abstract

The genocide in Gaza has led to the complete collapse of the humanitarian system. The capacities of international actors have been crippled by direct targeting, coupled with systematic and large–scale prevention of aid entry. As a result, no functioning humanitarian system remains, and the overall response has collapsed. Localization of humanitarian action has thus become an imposed necessity shaped by the realities on the ground, rather than the outcome of a deliberate strategic vision. In this context, local organizations have emerged as virtually the only active responders. This study examines the structural constraints faced by local actors amid the extreme contraction of humanitarian space. The findings reveal that the core of the crisis lies in Israelʼs use of humanitarian action as a weapon of control, alongside severe shortages of resources and equipment, threats to the safety of aid workers, breakdowns in coordination channels, scarcity of funding, and the outright looting of humanitarian aid.