DaysofPal – The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza reported on Friday that the number of Palestinians who have died from starvation and malnutrition under Israel’s ongoing blockade has risen to 162, including 92children.
In the past 24 hours alone, hospitals in the Gaza Strip recorded three new deaths from hunger-related causes, two of them children. The grim update underscores the worsening humanitarian catastrophe in the enclave, where the health system has all but collapsed and basic necessities remain out of reach for most of the population.
“This brings the total number of famine victims to 162, including 92 children,” the ministry said in a statement, reiterating that the deaths are a direct result of the prolonged Israeli siege and the severe shortages of food, water, and medical supplies.
The ministry renewed its urgent appeal to the international community and humanitarian organizations to intervene and deliver life-saving aid to the population of Gaza.
“The tight blockade and lack of medical and food supplies continue to endanger lives every hour,” the statement warned.
On July 27, the World Food Programme issued a stark warning, stating that a third of Palestinians in Gaza had gone days without food.
“The hunger crisis in Gaza has reached unprecedented levels of despair,” said Ross Smith, WFP’s Director of Emergency Preparedness and Response. “A third of the population is going without food for days at a time.”
The WFP also reported that approximately a quarter of the population, including over 100,000 children and women, is now experiencing famine-like conditions and acute malnutrition.
According to Palestinian officials, the mass hunger is not incidental but the result of deliberate Israeli policy. Since October 7, 2023, Israel has enforced a near-total blockade on Gaza, further tightening restrictions on March 2 by closing all remaining crossings to aid. That decision accelerated the spread of famine across the Strip, with aid agencies now describing the situation as “catastrophic.”
While Israel has allowed a limited number of humanitarian trucks into Gaza in recent days, far short of the 600-truck daily minimum needed to meet basic needs, local authorities say much of the aid has been intercepted or looted under Israeli military protection.
The Government Media Office in Gaza said that Israel is “not only limiting aid but actively facilitating and protecting the theft of the few trucks allowed in,” turning even the promise of relief into further tragedy.
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