Aid groups warn of starving children as European powers discuss Gaza
With fears of mass starvation growing, Britain, France and Germany were set to hold an emergency call to push for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and discuss steps towards Palestinian statehood.
"I will hold an emergency call with E3 partners tomorrow, where we will discuss what we can do urgently to stop the killing and get people the food they desperately need while pulling together all the steps necessary to build a lasting peace," British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.
The call comes after hopes of a new ceasefire in Gaza faded on Thursday when Israel and the United States quit indirect negotiations with Hamas in Qatar.
US envoy Steve Witkoff accused the Palestinian militant group of not "acting in good faith".
President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday that France would formally recognise a Palestinian state in September, drawing a furious rebuke from Israel.
'Mass starvation'
More than 100 aid and human rights groups warned this week that "mass starvation" was spreading in Gaza.
Israel has rejected accusations it is responsible for the deepening crisis, which the World Health Organization has called "man-made".
Israel placed the Gaza Strip under an aid blockade in March, which it only partially eased two months later.
The trickle of aid since then has been controlled by the Israeli- and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, replacing the longstanding UN-led distribution system.
Aid groups have refused to work with it, accusing it of aiding Israeli military goals.
The GHF system, in which Gazans have to travel long distances and join huge queues to reach one of four sites, has often proved deadly, with the UN saying that more than 750 Palestinian aid-seekers have been killed by Israeli forces near GHF centres since late May.
An AFP photographer saw bloodied patients, wounded while attempting to get humanitarian aid, being treated on the floor of Nasser hospital in the southern city of Khan Yunis on Thursday.
Israel has refused to return to the UN-led system, saying that it allowed Hamas to hijack aid for its own benefit.
Accusing Israel of the "weaponisation of food", MSF said that: "Across screenings of children aged six months to five years old and pregnant and breastfeeding women, at MSF facilities last week, 25 per cent were malnourished."
It said malnutrition cases had quadrupled since May 18 at its Gaza City clinic and that the facility was enrolling 25 new patients every day.
Aid groups and medics have also warned that a lack of food is preventing the sick and wounded from recovering.
'High risk of dying'
On Thursday, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said that one in five children in Gaza City were malnourished.
Agency chief Philippe Lazzarini said: "Most children our teams are seeing are emaciated, weak and at high risk of dying if they don't get the treatment they urgently need."
He also warned that "UNRWA frontline health workers, are surviving on one small meal a day, often just lentils, if at all".
Lazzarini said that the agency had "the equivalent of 6,000 loaded trucks of food and medical supplies" ready to send into Gaza if Israel allowed "unrestricted and uninterrupted" access to the territory.
Israel's military campaign in Gaza has killed 59,587 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.
Hamas's October 2023 attack that triggered the war resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
Of the 251 hostages taken during the attack, 49 are still being held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead.
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Euronews
a day ago
- Euronews
Gaza's children are starving. How does malnutrition affect the body?
Gaza is battling an unprecedented health crisis driven by severe malnutrition, with medical and humanitarian experts warning of catastrophic consequences on the horizon. After nearly two years of relentless war, worsened by months of aid restrictions enforced by Israel, the population of Gaza is facing what humanitarian organisations describe as famine-like conditions. While an official famine declaration has not been made, aid agencies warn that widespread death is expected if immediate nutrition and medical interventions aren't made available soon. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), the leading global authority on hunger emergencies, issued a stark alert last week, declaring that "the worst-case scenario of famine is currently playing out in the Gaza Strip". "Mounting evidence shows that widespread starvation, malnutrition, and disease are driving a rise in hunger-related deaths. Failure to act now will result in widespread death in much of the Strip," the group added. The World Health Organization (WHO) says malnutrition in Gaza has reached "alarming levels". Last month, the United Nations' Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) reported that one in five children in Gaza City is malnourished, with cases increasing daily. 'People in Gaza are neither dead nor alive, they are walking corpses," said Philippe Lazzarini, the UNRWA's commissioner-general. What happens to the body during starvation? Malnutrition is not simply hunger – it is a destructive process that ravages the body from the inside out. In the first 24 hours with little or no food, the body relies on a form of stored sugar called glycogen, which is kept in the liver. Once that sugar runs out, usually within a day, the body begins to burn fat for energy. In adults, this transition can take longer because they tend to have slower metabolisms and larger energy reserves. But in babies and young children, the switch happens much faster. Their bodies burn through energy more rapidly because, relative to their size, children require far more calories than adults just to stay alive. Their organs, especially the brain and heart, are still developing and consume a disproportionately large amount of energy. Once the body starts to rely on its energy reserves, "muscles begin to waste, the vital organs begin to effectively malfunction and slowly the body wastes away," said Dr James Smith, an emergency doctor and lecturer at University College London. "This affects absolutely everything with respect to the body's normal physiological functioning: the ability to move, the ability to think, the ability to mount an immune response to infections that might seek to attack the body," he added. Malnutrition can exacerbate other health problems, such as respiratory infections and diarrhoeal infections, that eventually lead to death, Smith said. How is malnutrition treated? Treating malnutrition is a complex and delicate process, requiring much more than simply providing food, Smith said. Special nutritional supplements that are rich in certain micronutrients can help fight the effects of both acute and chronic malnutrition. "It's not simply a case of if one is malnourished that you eat carbohydrate rich foods and you will be able to recover," Smith said. Christian Lindmeier, a WHO spokesperson, said that in many parts of the world – particularly in developed countries – malnutrition is an overlooked issue because obesity and diet-related diseases dominate public health concerns. Urgent calls for humanitarian access and medical support Without rapid and safe humanitarian access, international aid organisations and human rights groups warn that a surge in hunger-related deaths in Gaza is imminent. "Immediate action must be taken to end the hostilities and allow unimpeded, large-scale, life-saving humanitarian response. This is the only path to stopping further deaths and catastrophic human suffering," last week's IPC alert said. According to Gaza's health ministry, 93 children have so far died of malnutrition-related causes since the war began. As the only functioning healthcare authority in the territory, the Hamas-run ministry is staffed by medical professionals whose casualty figures are widely regarded by the UN and international experts as the most reliable available. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said no one is starving in Gaza and that enough aid has been supplied during the war, "otherwise, there would be no Gazans". Last week, Israel announced a daily "tactical pause in military activity" in parts of Gaza to allow more aid to flow into the enclave, saying it would "refute the false claim of deliberate starvation in the Gaza Strip". However, Israel's closest ally now appears to disagree. Last week during a visit to the United Kingdom, US President Donald Trump contradicted Israel's stance by saying that there was "real starvation" and that Israel should allow 'every ounce of food' into Gaza. "Those children look very hungry," added Trump. Gaza's crisis is one of the world's most extreme hunger emergencies – but it's not isolated. According to a recent UN report, over 720 million people worldwide faced hunger in 2024, with conflict, displacement, and economic turmoil fueling a global malnutrition epidemic.
Euronews
a day ago
- Euronews
How a photo of a skeletal child sparked Gaza starvation controversy
A photo of an emaciated Gazan child wearing a bin bag has caused huge controversy, both for what it shows about the humanitarian disaster in Gaza and the true nature of the boy's condition. The New York Times published the shocking image of Mohammed Zakaria al-Mutawaq on its front page with the headline "Young, old and sick starve to death in Gaza: There is nothing". Other high-profile media outlets, such as the BBC, CNN and The Guardian, were quick to republish the photo, drawing worldwide condemnation of Israel's blockade of food and medicine into Gaza. However, independent journalists and news organisations soon began reporting that they had seen medical documents revealing that Mohammed had a serious disorder that affected his health, with some identifying it as cerebral palsy. Freelance investigative journalist David Collier took to X to say that the photo of Mohammad was that of a "medically vulnerable child whose tragic situation was hijacked and weaponised". He also noted that in a separate photo, Mohammad's brother could be seen in apparently much better condition. The New York Times later issued a clarification that Mohammed had been diagnosed with a pre-existing health condition, after consulting his hospital. "We have since learned new information, including from the hospital that treated him and his medical records, and have updated our story to add context about his pre-existing health problems," a spokesperson for the newspaper said. "This additional detail gives readers a greater understanding of his situation." Many other outlets using the photo did not issue a retraction or clarifying note. The whole issue, among others, caused criticism of the media for spinning a narrative about starvation in Gaza. The photo was taken by freelance photographer Ahmeed al-Arini, who was working for the Turkish news agency Anadolu. It was then uploaded to photo wire service Getty Images. Gaza is starving However, regardless of Mohammed's illness and the nature of the photo, it is true that people are starving in Gaza, as repeatedly reported by reputable media outlets and humanitarian aid groups. The boy's mother, Hedaya al-Muta, has spoken to the media to confirm her son's medical history, but also of their lack of access to medicine and food. She added that Mohammed's weight has severely declined. The World Health Organisation (WHO) says malnutrition in Gaza has reached "alarming levels". There have been at least 74 malnutrition-related deaths in 2025, according to the WHO. Of this total, 63 occurred in July, including 24 children under five, a child over five, and 38 adults. "Most of these people were declared dead on arrival at health facilities or died shortly after, their bodies showing clear signs of severe wasting," the organisation said. "The crisis remains entirely preventable. Deliberate blocking and delay of large-scale food, health, and humanitarian aid has cost many lives." The United Nations-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification has even said that "the worst-case scenario of famine is currently playing out in the Gaza Strip", and that failure to act now will result in "widespread death" there. United States President Donald Trump has acknowledged "real starvation" in Gaza, despite Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claiming that that is not the case. Israel has consistently denied that there is any starvation in Gaza, with the defence ministry's Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) unit, which coordinates humanitarian aid in Gaza, accusing Hamas of misrepresenting pictures of allegedly starving children to attribute blame. COGAT's X account has posted various instances of what it says are photos used by Hamas to push the starvation narrative, as well as pictures of the aid and supplies it says it is allowing into Gaza. Israel has since allowed airdrops and humanitarian corridors, but aid workers say they have done little to alleviate the crisis so far.
Euronews
2 days ago
- Euronews
At least 10 people near two aid distribution sites in Gaza
At least 10 people were killed after Israeli forces opened fire near two aid distribution sites where crowds of hungry Palestinians again sought food, witnesses and health workers said Saturday. The violence came a day after US officials visited the Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation GHF site, and the US ambassador Steve Witkoff described the troubled system as 'an incredible feat.' The latest deaths come nearly a week after Israel, under international pressure amid growing scenes of starving children, announced limited humanitarian pauses and airdrops meant to get more food to Gaza's over 2 million people. They now largely rely on aid after almost 22 months of war. But the United Nations, partners and Palestinians say far too little aid is coming in, with months of supplies piled up outside Gaza waiting for Israeli approval. And although the UN estimates that 500 to 600 trucks of aid are needed daily, the trucks entering are mostly stripped of supplies by desperate people and criminal groups before reaching warehouses for distribution. On Saturday, Gaza's health ministry said seven Palestinians had died of malnutrition-related causes over the past 24 hours, including a child. More deaths near US-supported GHF sites Near the northernmost GHF distribution site near the Netzarim corridor, Yahia Youssef, who had come to seek aid, described a grimly familiar scene. After helping carry three people wounded by gunshots, he said he saw others on the ground, bleeding. 'It's the same daily episode,' Youssef said. Health workers said at least eight people were killed. Israel's military said it fired warning shots at a gathering approaching its forces. At least two people were killed in the Shakoush area, hundreds of meters (yards) from where the GHF operates in the southernmost city of Rafah, witnesses said. Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis received two bodies and many injured. Witness Mohamed Abu Taha said Israeli troops opened fire on the crowds. He saw three people — two men and a woman — shot as he fled. Israel's military said it was not aware of any fire by its forces in the area. The GHF said nothing happened near its sites. GHF says its armed contractors have only used pepper spray or fired warning shots to prevent deadly crowding. On Friday, Israel's military said it was working to make the routes under its control safer. The GHF — backed by millions of dollars in US support — launched in May as Israel sought an alternative to the U.N.-run system, which had safely delivered aid for much of the war but was accused by Israel of allowing Hamas to siphon off supplies. Israel has not provided evidence to support that claim, and the U.N. has denied it. From May 27 to July 31, 859 people were killed near GHF sites, according to a UN report Thursday. Hundreds more have been killed along the routes of UN-led food convoys. Hamas-led police once guarded those convoys, but Israeli fire targeted the officers. Israel and GHF have claimed the toll has been exaggerated. Hostage families push Israel to cut deal Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with hostages' families on Saturday, a week after quitting ceasefire talks, blaming Hamas' intransigence. Witkoff accompanied US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation's (GHF) assistance delivery station in the southern city of Rafah, one of only three such sites in the blockaded region. According to The Washington Post, Witkoff declared that the country had developed a plan to free all of the remaining hostages. Trump "now believes that everybody should come home at once, no piecemeal deals," Witkoff stated during the discussion, which was captured on tape and broadcast on Israeli television. "He didn't say anything new to me. The father of Israeli hostage Guy Illouz, Michel Illouz, stated, "We didn't hear anything practical, but I heard that the Americans were pressuring us to stop this operation." He claimed to have received "no answers" when he requested Witkoff to establish a deadline. Protesters from families at the plaza known as the hostages' square in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Saturday called on Israel's government to make a deal to end the war, imploring them to 'stop this nightmare and bring them out of the tunnels.' According to Witkoff, US authorities want half of the remaining 20 hostages to be freed on the first day of a cease-fire, with the remaining hostages to follow shortly after. Twenty of the 50 hostages are said to be dead.
