As Gaza’s humanitarian crisis deepens, the enclave’s Health Ministry reported seven additional deaths from famine and malnutrition, bringing the total hunger-related death toll to 154, including 89 children.
Israel’s ongoing blockade, coupled with relentless military attacks, has created a catastrophic situation where starvation is claiming lives daily.
The international community’s failure to intervene effectively has allowed what aid workers describe as an “engineered starvation” to devastate Gaza’s population.
The youngest and eldest in Gaza face the brunt of Israel’s months-long blockade, which has choked off essential supplies like baby formula and food.
Mothers are forced to give their infants water due to the absence of milk, contributing to the deaths of at least 88 children from starvation since the war began.
Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor has documented dozens of elderly deaths in displacement camps, noting an “unprecedented surge” in fatalities over the past two weeks.
Many of these deaths are misreported as natural causes due to inadequate documentation, masking the true scale of the crisis.
UN food security experts have confirmed that Gaza is now experiencing a worst-case famine scenario, with one in every 36 people killed in the conflict.
Israel’s war on Gaza, which has killed over 60,034 people and wounded 145,870, includes a blockade that severely restricts humanitarian aid.
AL Jazeera's Hani Mahmoud, reporting from Gaza City, described Israel’s announced humanitarian corridor as a “spectacle,” with aid trucks failing to reach those in need.
Desperate residents risk their lives at dangerous distribution points like Zikim, where Israeli forces have killed at least 21 Palestinians, including over a dozen aid seekers, since dawn.
Jamil Sawalmeh of ActionAid Palestine condemned the global community for allowing this crisis, stating:
We know that aidis being blocked. We know that a significant amount of aid has piled up at the crossings, and unfortunately, it is quite shocking for us to see that the global community has allowed this to happen … because of impunity and because of lack of interest in political engagement to force Israel to abide by its obligations under international law.
Critics argue that Israel’s actions are enabled by diplomatic cover from several nations, which have failed to impose sanctions or enforce international law.
Sawalmeh urged for “meaningful actions” to hold Israel accountable, warning that the crisis will worsen without immediate intervention.
As Gaza’s death has surpassed 60,000, the blockade’s toll on civilians — particularly children and the elderly — continues to mount, underscoring the urgent need for global action to end the starvation crisis.