"This by far is the worst that we've seen in terms of the conditions that our staff are working under," says Shaina Low, the Norgwegian Refugee Council's Communication Adviser for Palestine, speaking as 12 major NGOs warn that the humanitarian aid system in Gaza is "facing total collapse" due to Israel's blockade of supplies. "We've really reached a dead end," Low explains, adding that "it's incredibly dangerous for aid workers" in the war-ravaged territory. Israel has vowed to maintain its blockade on humanitarian aid, saying it is the only way to force Hamas to release the remaining 58 hostages. SOUNDBITES