Gaza’s humanitarian crisis has spiraled into a catastrophe, with Israel’s relentless military campaign and blockade pushing the enclave to the brink of collapse.
At least 89 Palestinians, including 31 aid seekers, were killed and 513 injured in Israeli attacks across Gaza in the past 24 hours, according to the enclave’s Health Ministry.
The blockade has obliterated food supplies, agriculture, and livestock, leaving 12,000 children under five suffering from acute malnutrition in July alone — the highest monthly figure recorded.
Israel’s deliberate obstruction of aid, coupled with the destruction of 44 food banks and 57 food distribution centers, has fueled it's systematic starvation campaign.
The international community’s failure to intervene decisively has left Gazans pleading for action to halt what they describe as an unfolding genocide.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that fewer than half of Gaza’s hospitals remain partially functional, with only 38 percent of primary healthcare centers operational.
Dr. Richard Peepkorn, in a post on X, described the health situation as “catastrophic.”
Hospitals are overwhelmed, grappling with a persistent shortage of blood and plasma due to injuries sustained at food distribution sites, where Israeli forces have repeatedly targeted aid seekers.
The blockade has also banned over 430 food items, including frozen meat, fish, dairy, and vegetables, exacerbating malnutrition and starvation.
Five more Palestinians, including two children, starved to death recently, bringing the total hunger-related deaths to 227, with 103 children among them.
This dire situation underscores Israel’s use of starvation as a weapon, as condemned by Gaza’s Government Media Office.
Global condemnation of Israel’s actions is mounting, with 27 countries, including Britain, Canada, and Australia, declaring the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached “unimaginable levels.”
Their joint statement demands Israel allow aid shipments and unblock humanitarian actors.
The Elders, a group of global leaders founded by Nelson Mandela, labeled the crisis an “unfolding genocide,” citing Israel’s obstruction of life-saving aid.
Helen Clark, former New Zealand prime minister, highlighted the plight of new mothers unable to feed themselves or their newborns, urging the reopening of the Rafah crossing.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry has accused the international community of inaction, stating, “Protecting humanity in the Gaza Strip is a moral, legal, and political obligation.”
Yet, Israel’s ban on foreign journalists and targeting of local reporters, like Al Jazeera’s Anas al-Sharif, suggest an intent to suppress the truth.
Israel’s escalation, including intensified bombardment of Gaza City and plans to seize the area, has drawn sharp criticism.
The Civil Defence spokesman reported the use of bombs, drones, and highly explosive munitions, causing massive destruction to civilian homes.
Gaza’s Government Media Office accuses Israel of committing a “documented crime of starvation,” supported by statements from Israeli officials like former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, who vowed to cut off food, water, and electricity.
The killing of Al Jazeera journalists is seen as an attempt to silence narratives exposing these atrocities.
As global media coverage shifts, driven by images of starving children, the world is urged to act before an entire generation is lost to Israel’s unrelenting siege and violence.