Based on recent UN reports, the Israeli authorities have classified peanut butter as a "luxury item" not allowed into Gaza, preventing it from reaching the starving population. Aid organizations, including the UN, have been attempting to deliver it, but have been blocked.
This has created obstacles for humanitarian groups seeking to deliver aid, as peanut-based pastes are often used as a high-protein supplement to prevent malnutrition in children.
Additional context
- In late September 2025, the UN's Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, described how Israel banned peanut butter intended for starving children in Gaza.
- UN officials confirmed in late September 2025 that while a specialized nutritional paste called Plumpy'Nut was being allowed into Gaza, standard peanut butter was not.
- In August 2025, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that Israel had imposed new restrictions and was systematically blocking opportunities to support starving people.
- The denial of peanut butter is part of a larger, ongoing issue of Israeli restrictions and blockades on food and aid entering Gaza, which has contributed to famine conditions.
- Aid organizations have criticized these actions as a "starvation tactic" and "collective punishment".
There is no definitive, publicly available list of items Israel considers "luxury" and blocks from entering Gaza. The designation appears to be arbitrary, and observers have noted that many blocked items are essential goods needed for daily life and humanitarian aid. The situation is complicated by the fact that Israel also blocks items classified as "dual-use"—goods that could have a military application.
Items reportedly blocked as "luxury"
Israel's Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) has previously justified blocking some items by claiming they would be misused or only benefit Hamas leadership. In practice, however, this has led to essential goods being labeled as luxuries. Items reported by aid organizations and news outlets as having been rejected as "luxuries" include:
- Dates: Rejected in August 2025 by COGAT, with potatoes also blocked for their long shelf life.
- Peanut butter: Labeled a "luxury" item by Israeli authorities in September 2025, according to a UN official.
- Chocolate croissants: Reportedly blocked in April 2024 because they were deemed "inappropriate for a war zone".
- Spices and instant coffee: In a 2010 report, a military official claimed these were restricted because they were "luxury" foods, even though they were considered staples by Palestinians.
Essential aid items reportedly blocked
More critically, numerous non-luxury items have been denied entry, further compounding the humanitarian crisis. The UN and human rights groups report that the following necessary supplies have been blocked:
- Medical supplies:
- Anesthetics, surgical tools, and strong painkillers.
- Maternity and hygiene kits.
- Wheelchairs and crutches.
- Oxygen cylinders and ventilators.
- Shelter and survival items:
- Tents and sleeping bags (some reportedly blocked for being the wrong color).
- Blankets and warm clothing during winter.
- Water and sanitation:
- Chemical water quality testing and purification kits.
- Pumps and desalination units.
- Miscellaneous:
- Animal feed.
- School supplies and toys.
Key issues with import restrictions
- Arbitrary and inconsistent enforcement: Aid workers and UN officials have described the process of approving goods as "totally arbitrary," with rules and lists frequently shifting and varying between crossing points.
- Lack of transparency: Israel does not publish a definitive list of barred items, making it extremely difficult for aid organizations to know what will be permitted.
- "Dual-use" item definitions: Israel’s broad definition of "dual-use" items, which are considered potentially military, has been criticized for encompassing thousands of seemingly innocuous civilian items, including components for medical and sanitation equipment.
- Famine conditions exacerbated: The unpredictable blocking of essential goods, combined with destruction of infrastructure, has contributed significantly to the severe humanitarian crisis and famine conditions in Gaza.
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