Palestinian health minister reports 29 ‘starvation-related' deaths in Gaza
At least 29 children and elderly people have died from 'starvation-related' deaths in the Gaza Strip in recent days, the Palestinian health minister says, warning that thousands more are at risk as limited aid begins trickling into the bombarded enclave.
Majed Abu Ramadan told reporters on Thursday that earlier comments by the United Nations aid chief to the BBC that 14,000 babies could die without desperately needed food aid were 'very realistic', but could be an underestimation.
Israel has allowed limited deliveries of humanitarian assistance into Gaza amid a wave of international condemnation of its 11-week total blockade on the territory, which spurred warnings of mass famine.
But UN officials have said the aid entering Gaza is 'nowhere near enough' to meet the needs of the population in the war-torn enclave.
About 90 truckloads of aid entered Gaza on Thursday, but Abu Ramadan said most of what was allowed in was limited to 'flour for bakeries'.
The UN's World Food Programme (WFP) said on Thursday afternoon that 'a handful of bakeries in Gaza are baking bread again after receiving limited supplies overnight'.
'This is a critical first step – but assistance must be scaled up. More essential food is needed to push back the risk of famine. Bread alone is not enough for people to survive,' the agency said in a post on X.The president of the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS), Younis al-Khatib, had earlier said many Palestinians had yet to receive any supplies so far. 'No civilian has received anything yet,' al-Khatib told reporters.
He said most of the aid trucks are still at the Karem Abu Salem crossing, known as Kerem Shalom to Israelis, in southern Gaza.
As limited deliveries enter the Strip, the Israeli military has continued to launch attacks across the enclave, with medical sources telling Al Jazeera that at least 51 Palestinians have been killed since dawn on Thursday.
At least 53,655 Palestinians have been killed and more than 121,000 others injured since Israel's war on Gaza began in October 2023, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee also announced new forced evacuation orders for Palestinians in Jabalia and Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza. He said in a post on X that the army will 'significantly expand its military activity' in the area.
Reporting from Deir el-Balah in central Gaza, Al Jazeera's Tareq Abu Azzoum said that while Palestinians have welcomed the influx of aid, it is a 'drop in the ocean' compared with the population's needs.
'Five hundred aid trucks are needed on a daily basis in order to avert the current food crisis in the territory,' Abu Azzoum explained.
Still, Gaza resident Ahmed Abed al-Daym said the aid trucks were a 'positive sign' amid dire conditions.
'Our homes are empty – there is no bread, and our children are going hungry,' he told Al Jazeera.
'In many households, bread has completely disappeared. What people urgently need is a steady and sufficient flow of flour and other essentials. Unfortunately, the limited aid that has entered so far falls far short of meeting our needs.'Another resident, Reem Zidiah, said that due to the mass starvation that Gaza is enduring, no one is safe in the besieged enclave.
'All of us here in Gaza, we don't think about tomorrow because we don't know what will happen tomorrow – whether we're going to live or die,' Zidiah told Al Jazeera.
Meanwhile, Action Against Hunger teams on the ground in southern Gaza warned that there was less than a seven-days' supply of food to prevent acute malnutrition in children.
Natalia Anguera, the humanitarian group's head of Middle East operations, said 'flour has come in and some bakeries in the south have resumed operations'.
However, she stressed that 'specific nutritional supplies reserves for children under five are about to run out'.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Boston Globe
8 hours ago
- Boston Globe
Palestinians say Israeli fire kills 12 near aid sites
Advertisement Eleven of the latest bodies were brought to Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis. Palestinian witnesses said Israeli forces fired on some at a roundabout around a kilometer (half-mile) from a site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, or GHF, in nearby Rafah. Israel's military said it fired warning shots at approaching 'suspects' who ignored warnings to turn away. It said the shooting happened in an area that is considered an active combat zone at night. Al-Awda Hospital said it received the body of a man and 29 people who were wounded near another GHF aid distribution point in central Gaza. The military said it fired warning shots in the area at around 6:40 a.m., but didn't see any casualties. Advertisement A GHF official said there was no violence in or around its distribution sites, all three of which delivered aid on Sunday. The group closed them temporarily last week to discuss safety measures with Israel's military and has warned people to stay on designated access routes. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. The new aid hubs are set up inside Israeli military zones where independent media have no access. The GHF also said it was piloting direct delivery to a community north of Rafah. Witnesses said the first shootings in southern Gaza took place at around 6 a.m., when they were told the site would open. Many headed toward it early, seeking desperately needed food before crowds arrived. Gaza's roughly 2 million Palestinians are almost completely reliant on international aid because nearly all food production capabilities have been destroyed. Adham Dahman, who was at Nasser Hospital with a bandage on his chin, said a tank fired toward them. 'We didn't know how to escape,' he said. 'This is [a] trap for us, not aid.' Zahed Ben Hassan said someone next to him was shot in the head. 'They said it was a safe area from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. ... So why did they start shooting at us?' he said. 'There was light out, and they have their cameras and can clearly see us.' The military announced on Friday that the sites would be open during those hours, and the areas would be a closed military zone the rest of the time. Children cried over their father's body at the hospital. 'I can't see you like this, Dad!' one girl said. Advertisement The new aid hubs are run by GHF, a new group of mainly American contractors. Israel wants it to replace a system coordinated by the United Nations and international aid groups. Israel and the United States accuse the Hamas militant group of stealing aid. The UN denies there is systematic diversion. The UN says the new system is unable to meet mounting needs, allows Israel to use aid as a weapon by determining who can receive it and forces people to relocate to where aid sites are positioned. The UN system has struggled to deliver aid, even after Israel eased its blockade of Gaza last month. UN officials say their efforts are hindered by Israeli military restrictions, the breakdown of law and order and widespread looting. Experts warned earlier this year that Gaza was at critical risk of famine, if Israel didn't lift its blockade and halt its military campaign. Both were renewed in March. Israeli officials have said the offensive will continue until all hostages are returned and Hamas is defeated or disarmed and sent into exile. On Sunday, Israel's military invited journalists into Khan Younis to show a tunnel under the European Hospital, saying they found the body of Mohammed Sinwar, the head of Hamas' armed wing, there after he was killed last month. Israel has barred international journalists from entering Gaza independently since the war began. '(Israeli forces) would prefer not to hit or target hospitals,' army spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said. Sinwar's body was found in a room under the hospital's emergency room, Defrin said. Hamas has said it will only release the remaining hostages in return for Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Talks mediated by the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar have been deadlocked for months. Advertisement Hamas started the war with its attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, when Palestinian militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took another 251 hostage. They still hold 55 hostages, fewer than half of them alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Israel's military campaign has killed more than 54,800 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. It says women and children make up most of the dead, but doesn't say how many civilians or combatants were killed. Israel says it has killed more than 20,000 militants, without providing evidence. The war has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced around 90 percent of its population.
Los Angeles Times
16 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
Palestinians say Israeli fire kills 5 near aid sites. Israel says it fired warning shots
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israeli fire killed at least five people and wounded others as they headed toward two aid distribution points in Gaza run by an Israeli and U.S.-backed group, Palestinian health officials and witnesses said Sunday. Israel's military said it fired warning shots at people who approached its forces. The past two weeks have seen frequent shootings near the new hubs where thousands of Palestinians — desperate after 20 months of war — are being directed to collect food. Witnesses say nearby Israeli troops have opened fire, and more than 80 people have been killed, according to Gaza hospital officials. In all, at least 108 bodies were brought to hospitals in Gaza over the past 48 hours, the territory's Health Ministry said. Israel's military said it struck dozens of militant targets throughout Gaza over the past day. Four of the latest bodies were brought to Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis. Palestinian witnesses said Israeli forces fired on them at a roundabout around a kilometer (half-mile) from a site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in nearby Rafah. Israel's military said it fired warning shots at 'suspects' who had advanced toward its forces and ignored warnings to turn away. It said the shooting occurred in an area that is considered an active combat zone at night. Al-Awda Hospital said it received the body of a 42-year-old man and 29 people who were wounded near another GHF aid distribution point in central Gaza. The military said it fired warning shots in the area at around 6:40 a.m. but did not see any casualties. A GHF official said there was no violence in or around its distribution sites, all three of which delivered aid on Sunday. The group closed them temporarily last week to discuss safety measures with Israel's military and has warned people to stay on designated access routes. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. The new aid hubs are set up inside Israeli military zones where independent media have no access. Witnesses said the shooting in southern Gaza occurred at around 6 a.m., when they were told the site would open. Many headed toward it early, seeking desperately needed food before the crowds arrived. Adham Dahman, who was at Nasser Hospital with a bandage on his chin, said a tank fired toward them. 'We didn't know how to escape,' he said. 'This is trap for us, not aid.' Zahed Ben Hassan said someone next to him was shot in the head. He said he and others pulled the body from the scene. 'They said it was a safe area from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. ... So why did they start shooting at us?' he said. 'There was light out, and they have their cameras and can clearly see us.' The military announced on Friday that the sites would be open during those hours, and that the area would be a closed military zone the rest of the time. Children cried over their father's body at the hospital. 'I can't see you like this, Dad!' one girl said. Gaza's roughly 2 million Palestinians are almost completely reliant on international aid because nearly all food production capabilities have been destroyed. The new aid hubs are run by GHF, a new group of mainly American contractors. Israel wants it to replace a system coordinated by the United Nations and international aid groups. Israel and the United States accuse the Hamas militant group of stealing aid. The U.N. denies there is systematic diversion. The U.N. says the new system is unable to meet mounting needs, allows Israel to use aid as a weapon by determining who can receive it and forces people to relocate to where aid sites are positioned. The U.N. system has struggled to deliver aid, even after Israel eased its complete blockade of Gaza last month. U.N. officials say their efforts are hindered by Israeli military restrictions, the breakdown of law and order and widespread looting. Experts warned earlier this year that Gaza was at critical risk of famine if Israel did not lift its blockade and halt its military campaign. Both were renewed in March. Israeli officials have said the offensive will continue until all hostages are returned and Hamas is defeated or disarmed and sent into exile. Hamas has said it will only release the remaining hostages in return for Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Talks mediated by the U.S., Egypt and Qatar have been deadlocked for months. Hamas started the war with its attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, when Palestinian militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took another 251 hostage. They still hold 55 hostages, fewer than half of them alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Israel has recovered dozens of bodies, including three in recent days, and rescued eight living hostages during the war. Israel's military campaign has killed over 54,800 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. It says women and children make up most of the dead but does not say how many civilians or combatants were killed. Israel says it has killed over 20,000 militants, without providing evidence. The war has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced around 90% of its population. Shurafa and Chehayeb write for the Associated Press. Chehayeb reported from Beirut. Associated Press writer Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel, contributed to this report. Follow AP's war coverage at
San Francisco Chronicle
17 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Palestinians say Israeli fire kills 5 near aid sites. Israel says it fired warning shots
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli fire killed at least five people and wounded others as they headed toward two aid distribution points in Gaza run by an Israeli and U.S.-backed group, Palestinian health officials and witnesses said Sunday. Israel's military said it fired warning shots at people who approached its forces. The past two weeks have seen frequent shootings near the new hubs where thousands of Palestinians — desperate after 20 months of war — are being directed to collect food. Witnesses say nearby Israeli troops have opened fire, and more than 80 people have been killed, according to Gaza hospital officials. In all, at least 108 bodies were brought to hospitals in Gaza over the past 48 hours, the territory's Health Ministry said. Israel's military said it struck dozens of militant targets throughout Gaza over the past day. Four of the latest bodies were brought to Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis. Palestinian witnesses said Israeli forces fired on them at a roundabout around a kilometer (half-mile) from a site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in nearby Rafah. Israel's military said it fired warning shots at 'suspects' who had advanced toward its forces and ignored warnings to turn away. It said the shooting occurred in an area that is considered an active combat zone at night. Al-Awda Hospital said it received the body of a 42-year-old man and 29 people who were wounded near another GHF aid distribution point in central Gaza. The military said it fired warning shots in the area at around 6:40 a.m. but did not see any casualties. A GHF official said there was no violence in or around its distribution sites, all three of which delivered aid on Sunday. The group closed them temporarily last week to discuss safety measures with Israel's military and has warned people to stay on designated access routes. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. Witnesses fear for their safety Witnesses said the shooting in southern Gaza occurred at around 6 a.m., when they were told the site would open. Many headed toward it early, seeking desperately needed food before the crowds arrived. Adham Dahman, who was at Nasser Hospital with a bandage on his chin, said a tank fired toward them. 'We didn't know how to escape," he said. "This is trap for us, not aid.' Zahed Ben Hassan said someone next to him was shot in the head. He said he and others pulled the body from the scene. 'They said it was a safe area from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. ... So why did they start shooting at us?' he said. 'There was light out, and they have their cameras and can clearly see us.' The military announced on Friday that the sites would be open during those hours, and that the area would be a closed military zone the rest of the time. Children cried over their father's body at the hospital. 'I can't see you like this, Dad!' one girl said. Aid distributed inside Israeli military zones Gaza's roughly 2 million Palestinians are almost completely reliant on international aid because nearly all food production capabilities have been destroyed. The new aid hubs are run by GHF, a new group of mainly American contractors. Israel wants it to replace a system coordinated by the United Nations and international aid groups. Israel and the United States accuse the Hamas militant group of stealing aid. The U.N. denies there is systematic diversion. The U.N. says the new system is unable to meet mounting needs, allows Israel to use aid as a weapon by determining who can receive it and forces people to relocate to where aid sites are positioned. The U.N. system has struggled to deliver aid, even after Israel eased its complete blockade of Gaza last month. U.N. officials say their efforts are hindered by Israeli military restrictions, the breakdown of law and order and widespread looting. Experts warned earlier this year that Gaza was at critical risk of famine if Israel did not lift its blockade and halt its military campaign. Both were renewed in March. Israeli officials have said the offensive will continue until all hostages are returned and Hamas is defeated or disarmed and sent into exile. Hamas has said it will only release the remaining hostages in return for Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Talks mediated by the U.S., Egypt and Qatar have been deadlocked for months. Hamas started the war with its attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, when Palestinian militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took another 251 hostage. They still hold 55 hostages, fewer than half of them alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Israel has recovered dozens of bodies, including three in recent days, and rescued eight living hostages during the war. Israel's military campaign has killed over 54,800 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. It says women and children make up most of the dead but does not say how many civilians or combatants were killed. Israel says it has killed over 20,000 militants, without providing evidence. The war has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced around 90% of its population. ___
