By Ashraf Amra - UNRWA
A six-year-old Palestinian boy and a 30-year-old man have died from severe malnutrition in Gaza, according to the Nasser Hospital in the south of the besieged enclave, as Israeli military operations continue and hunger-related deaths rise. The deaths of young Jamal Fadi al-Najjar and Wissam Abu Mohsen on Tuesday highlight the mounting humanitarian catastrophe, with Gaza’s Health Ministry reporting that five more people have died from famine within the previous 24 hours.
These latest fatalities bring the total number of starvation-related deaths since the beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza to 227 — including more than 100 children. The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday renewed its appeal for access to Gaza, calling on Israel to allow medical supply stockpiling before its planned military assault on Gaza City, a move that has been widely condemned.
“We want to stock up, and we all hear about ‘more humanitarian supplies are allowed in’, well it’s not happening yet, or it’s happening at a way too low a pace,” said Rik Peeperkorn, WHO’s representative in the Palestinian territories.
Meanwhile, a coalition of 28 nations — including Britain, Canada, Australia, Japan, and 23 European allies — issued a joint statement published by the UK government describing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza as having reached “unimaginable levels.”
“Famine is unfolding before our eyes. Urgent action is needed now to halt and reverse starvation,” the foreign ministers wrote. “We call on the government of Israel to provide authorisation for all international NGO aid shipments and to unblock essential humanitarian actors from operating.”
‘Safe Zones’ Struck as Dozens Killed in Continued Attacks
At least 67 Palestinians were reported killed since dawn on Tuesday, according to hospital sources in Gaza. Among the victims were 16 individuals who had been seeking food aid for their families.
Reporting from Deir el-Balah in central Gaza, Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary said Israeli forces carried out strikes in several areas, including al-Mawasi, which Israel had previously designated as a “safe zone.”
“A family of five were killed in their makeshift shelter there earlier this morning. There have also been concentrated attacks on Gaza City, where residential homes have been targeted,” she reported.
The al-Nadeem family was among those targeted, with four members killed and a young girl rescued. However, many others remain trapped under rubble.
Palestinian Civil Defence reported that one of its workers, Abdul Rahman Maher Abu Latifa, was killed in an Israeli strike on his tent in al-Mawasi. His parents were also killed. The Civil Defence service says 137 of its personnel have been killed since the war began.
In Gaza City, three members of the al-Hasari family were killed, along with one member of the al-Salmi family. Rescue workers say at least 20 individuals are still buried under rubble.
Verified footage obtained by Al Jazeera from central Gaza City showed the aftermath of a strike, with blood flowing down the street as bystanders carried an injured man to a vehicle.
Civil Defence spokesperson Mahmoud Basal said Israeli bombardments in Gaza City have intensified for three consecutive days, deploying “all types of weapons… bombs, drones and also highly explosive munitions that cause massive destruction to civilian homes.”
Food Blockade Deepens Humanitarian Emergency
In addition to bombardments, Israeli authorities are preventing the entry of over 430 essential food items into Gaza, according to the enclave’s Government Media Office. Despite limited aid trucks being allowed through under international pressure last month, the Office said crucial goods such as “frozen meat of all kinds, frozen fish, cheese, dairy products, frozen vegetables, and fruits” remain banned.
It further accused Israel of deliberately targeting food infrastructure, claiming that 44 food banks have been bombed, dozens of aid workers killed, and 57 food distribution centres attacked since the war began.
Earlier on Tuesday, the same office criticised Israel’s Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) for what it described as “a pathetic attempt to cover up an internationally documented crime — the systematic starvation of the population of the Gaza Strip.”
Israel also faces growing international backlash over its plans to seize Gaza City and forcibly displace nearly one million Palestinians. Although Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not confirmed a timeline for the offensive, he stated on Sunday that it would take place “fairly quickly.”
Calls for International Accountability
Palestine’s Foreign Ministry has criticised the global community for its continued inaction, accusing it of enabling “the genocide of our people” in Gaza. In a statement published on social media platform X, the ministry said:
“Despite the international consensus… on the need to implement international humanitarian law and human rights, the occupying power [Israel] continues to expand its aggression and deepen its use of starvation, thirst, and denial of medical treatment as weapons in the war.”
Gaza’s Health Ministry reports that since Israel launched its war on October 7, 2023, at least 61,599 Palestinians have been killed, with 154,088 injured. Since May 27, when Israel and the U.S. introduced the new Gaza Humanitarian Flow (GHF) food distribution system, 1,838 Palestinians seeking aid have been killed and over 13,409 wounded, according to the same ministry.
