Geopolitical Briefing: Palestine
20 June 2025
- UNICEF reports Gaza faces a severe, man-made drought, with water systems collapsing and child malnutrition surging by 50%. Aid operations have been disrupted by attacks and communication blackouts.
- Israeli fire killed at least 35 Palestinians near humanitarian aid sites on 14 June, and at least 25 more at GHF locations on 20 June, as violence around aid access escalates.
- A Global March to Gaza, including the Tunisia‑led Soumoud Convoy, was halted in Libya and Egypt between 12–16 June after arrests and forced deportations.
- Israeli naval forces intercepted the June flotilla on 9 June, seizing the UK-flagged Madleen carrying Greta Thunberg and aid, later deporting participants.
- The EU’s diplomatic arm has opened a review of Israel’s human rights compliance under its Association Agreement, citing aid restrictions, attacks on civilians, and medical infrastructure damage.
On 20 June, UNICEF issued a stark warning that Gaza is experiencing a man-made drought: just 40 % of water facilities are functional, over a million people face hunger, and child malnutrition among those under five has surged 50 %. Attacks on aid sites and broken communication lines have severely hampered relief efforts, compounding the humanitarian catastrophe (en.wikipedia.org, reuters.com, en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org, reuters.com).
Multiple aid distribution points have become deadly zones. On 14 June, Israeli fire near GHF-run sites claimed at least 35 civilian lives. Then on 19–20 June, at least another 25 Palestinians were killed by live fire from tanks and drones targeting crowds waiting for food in central Gaza (en.wikipedia.org). These repeated lethal incidents show a systematic securitisation of aid access, effectively strangling humanitarian relief and deepening territorial control.
Between 12–16 June, the internationally‑backed Global March to Gaza, including the Soumoud Convoy from Tunisia, was intercepted in Libya and Egypt. The convoy was blocked at Sirte, with over a dozen detained, and in Egypt over 200 activists were deported before reaching Rafah (en.wikipedia.org). This regional resistance reflects broader civil society mobilisation, though state barriers remain firmly aligned with Israel.
On 9 June, Israeli naval forces seized the Madleen vessel—flagged by the UK and carrying Greta Thunberg and aid cargo—in international waters. Crew members were detained and deported, with Israel dismissing the mission as a publicity stunt (en.wikipedia.org). This action underscores Israel’s continued assertion of maritime blockade authority and its refusal to allow alternative aid corridors.
The European External Action Service has initiated a review into whether Israel has violated Article 2 of the EU‑Israel Association Agreement. The probe targets repeated restrictions on aid delivery, civilian casualties, attacks on medical facilities, and forced displacement. While no sanctions have been imposed yet, over half of EU member states backed the review (reuters.com). This mechanism poses a legal and reputational challenge to Israel’s conduct and may shape EU policy in July’s upcoming foreign ministers’ meeting.
