Conceptualising humanitarian logistics in sieges: historic insights and current practices

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to examine how humanitarian logistics operations are adapted in constrained and hostile environments to deliver aid to besieged populations effectively. Design/methodology/approach This study analyses historical and contemporary sieges, drawing insights from secondary data, historical case studies, focus group data and document analysis of reports from humanitarian organisations, including an illustrative case study of Gaza 2023–2025. Findings This study develops an integrative framework for humanitarian logistics in sieges, highlighting both aspects of the siege situation and response enablers that affect the transport and storage solutions, local resource use and the actors involved in humanitarian logistics in sieges. Research limitations/implications Our research presents a pioneering approach to humanitarian logistics in besieged areas, presenting an integrative framework and outlining an agenda for future research. Practical implications This study gives humanitarian organisations insights into the specifics of humanitarian logistics in sieges, highlighting the interplay of different actors needed to address the complexities of the operating environment and the iterative nature of the disaster cycle in sieges. Originality/value The specifics of humanitarian logistics in sieges have not been researched previously and no comprehensive coverage of this topic exists in practitioner sources either. Nevertheless, sieges are an aspect of modern warfare that specifically targets supply chains and complicates humanitarian logistics, which this paper explores.