Gaza Humanitarian Catastrophe Worsens: Child Deaths Mount Amid Severe Aid Blockade
Gaza Humanitarian Catastrophe Worsens: Child Deaths Mount Amid Severe Aid Blockade
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has escalated dramatically, with a four-year-old girl, Razan Abu Zaher, among the latest victims to succumb to hunger and malnutrition. Her death on Sunday at a central Gaza hospital underscores a deepening famine that has claimed at least 76 children and ten adults since October 2023, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
Razan’s tragic passing is one of at least four child deaths reported in the last three days, with 18 famine-related fatalities recorded in Gaza within the past 24 hours alone. The World Health Organization attributes most of these deaths to an intensified blockade imposed by Israeli authorities since early March.
Aid agencies report that humanitarian supplies reaching the territory are critically insufficient to sustain the population, even after a partial lifting of the aid ban in late May. World Central Kitchen, a key provider, confirmed its Gaza teams have run out of ingredients, forcing a pause in meal services. “We served 80,000 meals yesterday, emptying the last of our replenished stocks while aid trucks remain stuck at the border,” the organization stated.
The situation has driven thousands to desperate measures, risking their lives to find food. On Sunday, more than 70 people were reportedly killed in northern Gaza while seeking food aid, with the health ministry alleging they were shot by Israeli troops. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated troops fired warning shots to remove an immediate threat and are examining the incident, noting the reported casualty count does not align with their information.
UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher warned the Security Council that food is rapidly dwindling, and people are dying trying to feed their families. He highlighted that starvation rates among children reached their highest levels in June, with over 5,800 boys and girls diagnosed with acute malnutrition. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs also reported deeply troubling admissions of malnourished children and adults to hospitals with scarce resources.
Medical professionals in Gaza describe a dire situation. Dr. Khalil Al-Daqran, spokesman for al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital, where Razan died, stated Gaza is witnessing its “worst phase of famine.” Dr. Suhaib Al-Hams, director of Kuwait field hospital, noted patients are in “dire need of food before medicine.” The Palestinian health ministry has warned that hundreds are now at risk of imminent death due to severe exhaustion and fatigue from hunger.
While COGAT, the Israeli agency managing aid flow, asserts that approximately 67,000 food trucks have entered Gaza since October 2023, aid agencies and the UN counter that Israeli forces frequently deny permission to move aid within Gaza, and much more is held up. Israel maintains it halts shipments due to allegations of Hamas seizing aid, which Hamas denies.
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