Starvation Deepens: Six More Palestinians Die in Gaza Blockade by Israel

A child was among the five Palestinians to have died from malnutrition in the past 24 hours due to Israel’s blockade of Gaza, the Health Ministry said. People in Gaza and beyond also mourned several journalists killed by Israeli forces.

According to the ministry, most of the latest hunger victims had died in the past three weeks, as Israel-imposed starvation spreads across the enclave. The total death toll from severe hunger has now reached 222, including 101 children.

UN Stated Gaza Children Are Killed Due to Bombs and Hunger

Later, the Palestinian Wafa news agency reported another death from malnutrition — five-year-old Mohammed Zakaria Khader — raising the toll in the past 24 hours to six.

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said “children in Gaza are dying from starvation and bombardments.” In a social media post, the agency wrote, “Entire families, neighbourhoods, and a generation are being wiped out. Inaction and silence are complicity. It’s time for statements to turn into action and for an immediate ceasefire.”

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) said hunger and malnutrition levels in Gaza are the highest ever recorded. More than one-third of the population has gone without food for days, while 500,000 people are on the brink of famine. The WFP said Gaza must be “flooded” with large-scale food aid to avoid further catastrophe.

Israeli Assaults on Gaza Continue

Meanwhile, Israeli raids have killed at least 46 Palestinians across Gaza since dawn on Monday, including six people seeking aid, medical sources told Al Jazeera.

In one of the latest attacks, al-Aqsa Hospital reported that four Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces in the south and east of Deir el-Balah in central Gaza. The Palestine Red Crescent Society said three civilians were killed and others wounded in an Israeli strike on the Zeitoun neighborhood in southern Gaza City.

Since October 7, 2023, Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 61,499 people and wounded 153,575, including at least 270 journalists and media workers.

Also Read: World Condemns ‘War Crime’ After Israel Kills Gaza Journalists