GAZA CITY — Health authorities in Gaza have confirmed that at least 14 more Palestinians have succumbed to starvation in the past 24 hours, bringing the official toll to 147 deaths, with 88 of the victims being children. Despite intensified international outcry and calls for immediate relief, humanitarian aid remains insufficient for the densely populated and devastated region.
Israel has recently permitted limited aid access into Gaza, including airdrops, but according to the United Nations, these efforts are “barely a drop in the ocean” compared to what’s urgently required to address the worsening humanitarian disaster.
READ MORE: Agra Police Uncover ISIS-Inspired Conversion Syndicate Targeting Hindu Girls
While Israel announced temporary halts in military operations during certain hours in specific areas of Gaza, civilian casualties continue to mount. Earlier today, Israeli forces reportedly opened fire at two separate food distribution points. Over the weekend, at least nine Palestinians were killed and 54 wounded while trying to access aid on a convoy route in central Gaza.
In a major development, two of Israel’s most prominent human rights organizations — B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel — have publicly accused the Israeli government of orchestrating a campaign that could amount to genocide.
Yuli Novak, Director of B’Tselem, stated:
“What we are witnessing is a deliberate targeting of civilians. The intention appears to be the destruction of a population group. Every human being must ask themselves: How do we respond to genocide in real-time?”
Meanwhile, ceasefire negotiations appear to have reached a breaking point. Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas leader, criticized Israel for what he described as sabotage of peace talks through the continuation of a blockade, violence, and starvation tactics.
Khalil al-Hayya said:
“There is no point in pursuing negotiations while our people — our women, children — are being starved and exterminated. If there is a real desire for dialogue, let aid flow to the people without delay or humiliation.”
One of the gravest concerns remains the dire condition of infants in Gaza, with local health officials warning that over 40,000 babies under the age of one face a slow and painful death due to a severe lack of baby formula. On Friday, video footage showed desperate families scrambling for food at a makeshift soup kitchen in Gaza City.
Umm Abdullah al-Sharafi, a mother trying to feed her toddler, shared her heartbreaking ordeal:
“My two-and-a-half-year-old daughter started hitting herself when she saw there was no food. I had nothing to give her — just a sip of water. A kind neighbor gave her half a loaf of bread. That’s all we had. No food. No clean water. Nothing. We’re surviving on hope.”
Amid mounting evidence and heartbreaking testimonies, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to deny claims of starvation in Gaza.
“The accusation that Israel is using starvation as a weapon is a blatant lie,” Netanyahu asserted in a public statement. “There is no such policy. There is no starvation in Gaza.”
However, the growing body of on-the-ground reports and warnings from global agencies tell a starkly different story — one of systemic deprivation, humanitarian catastrophe, and a region on the brink of collapse.
