Gazans are starving, UN warns, as Israel begins daily halt to operations
World Food Program country director Antoine Renard warned of 'famine-like conditions' in parts of Gaza and said about 80 of the program's trucks had entered Gaza on Sunday, and another 130 trucks arrived via Jordan, Ashdod and Egypt. Other aid was moving through the Kerem Shalom and Zikim crossings.
But he stressed that even this was not enough to counter the 'current starvation' in Gaza.
Loading
The World Health Organisation on Monday (AEST) warned of 'alarming levels' of malnutrition, with a spike in hunger-related deaths this month.
Some 63 out of 74 malnutrition-related deaths in Gaza this year occurred in July – including 24 children younger than five, a child older than five, and 38 adults, a WHO update said.
'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 WHO said.
Netanyahu accuses the UN
The Israeli military said a 'tactical pause' in Gaza City, Deir al-Balah and Muwasi from 10am to 8pm daily (Gaza time), all with large populations, would increase humanitarian aid entering the territory.
But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, 'Whichever path we choose, we will have to continue to allow the entry of minimal humanitarian supplies.'
Netanyahu also accused the UN in a statement of 'making excuses and lying' about the lack of safe corridors to deliver aid.
'There are secured routes. There always were, but today it's official. There will be no more excuses.'
UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher welcomed the apparent scaling up of aid deliveries, but warned that action needed to be 'sustained, vast and fast'.
Images of emaciated children have fanned criticism of Israel, including by allies who call for an end to the war. Israel has restricted aid to Gaza's population of more than 2 million because it says Hamas siphons it off to bolster its rule, without providing evidence.
Much of the population, squeezed into ever-smaller patches of land, now relies on aid.
Nearly one in five children under the age of five in Gaza City is now acutely malnourished, according to the latest WHO figures, while the percentage of children aged six to 59 months suffering from acute malnutrition has tripled since June, making it the worst-hit area in the Gaza Strip.
In Khan Younis and the Middle Area, rates have doubled in less than a month. These figures are likely an underestimate due to the severe access and security constraints preventing many families from reaching health facilities, the WHO said.
Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Merdawi said Israel's change of approach on the humanitarian crisis amounted to an acknowledgment of Palestinians starving in Gaza, and asserted it was meant to improve Israel's international standing and not save lives.
Killed seeking aid
Elsewhere in Gaza, Awda Hospital in Nuseirat said Israeli forces killed at least 13 people on Sunday, including four children and a woman, and wounded 101 as they headed towards an aid distribution site in central Gaza run by the US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
Israel's military said it fired warning shots to prevent a 'gathering of suspects' from approaching the site before opening hours. The GHF said there were no incidents at or near its sites.
Thirteen others were killed seeking aid elsewhere, including north-western Gaza City, where more than 50 people were wounded, and near the Zikim crossing, where more than 90 were wounded, hospital officials and medics said.
Israel's military said two soldiers were killed in Gaza, bringing the total to 898 since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that sparked the war.
Hamas killed 1200 people, mostly civilians, in that attack, and took 251 hostages.
Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed more than 59,700 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between militants and civilians.
Loading
The ministry says more than half the dead are women and children, and while it operates under the Hamas government, the UN and other international organisations see it as the most reliable source of casualty data.
On Sunday, US President Donald Trump called the images of emaciated and malnourished children in Gaza 'terrible'.
Israel and the US recalled negotiating teams from Qatar last week, blaming Hamas, and Israel said it was considering 'alternative options' to talks.
Israel has said it is prepared to end the war if Hamas surrenders, disarms and goes into exile, something the group has refused. Khalil al-Hayya, head of Hamas' negotiating delegation, said the group had displayed 'maximum flexibility'.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ABC News
16 hours ago
- ABC News
As Samoa battles dengue fever, here's what you need to know about the mosquito-borne virus
Each morning in Samoa, fumigation teams gear up to spray schools and buildings, battling tirelessly against a dengue outbreak. Since the outbreak was declared on April 17, Samoa's Ministry of Health says more than 5,600 clinically diagnosed cases have been recorded. Tragically, to date, there have been four confirmed and one probable dengue-related death, highlighting the urgent fight still ahead. This effort comes as the Pacific faces a severe surge in cases, with deaths now reported in Fiji, Tonga, and Nauru. Affected countries also include American Samoa, Cook Islands, Tahiti, Kiribati and Tuvalu. So what is dengue fever? And why is this outbreak hitting the Pacific so hard? Samoa has rolled out a large-scale fumigation program in schools. ( Image: Ministry of Health Samoa ) What is causing the current dengue outbreak? Dengue fever is a viral disease spread by mosquitoes. It is transmitted by the infected female Aedes mosquito and causes fever and joint pain. Some patients can suffer internal bleeding, which can cause death. It has long plagued tropical nations, but health experts warn the 2025 outbreak is one of the worst in almost a decade. This is largely because of: In Fiji, the WHO's July data shows the spread of the disease has been highest. ( Source: Fiji's Ministry of Health & Medical Services ) What are the symptoms? Symptoms to watch for include fever, extreme fatigue, headache, nausea, vomiting, intense muscle and joint pains, and a distinct measles-like rash. Dengue cases in the Pacific are at their highest since 2016, with nearly 19,000 people affected as of last month's figures, the World Health Organisation (WHO) says. Aedes aegypti is the primary spreader of dengue. Dengue is the most common mosquito-borne disease worldwide. ( Supplied: Stephen Doggett, NSW Health Pathology ) Globally, the WHO recorded more than 13 million dengue cases and 9,990 deaths in 2024. Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are the primary spreaders of dengue, although another species — Aedes albopictus (commonly known as the Asian tiger mosquito) — can also carry the virus. How can it be stopped? Prevention measures include: Eliminating stagnant/ standing water sources — like tyres, open buckets, water-holding containers, etc Eliminating stagnant/ standing water sources — like tyres, open buckets, water-holding containers, etc Use mosquito nets and repellent Use mosquito nets and repellent Wearing long-sleeved clothing Wearing long-sleeved clothing Keep the surrounding areas clean Keep the surrounding areas clean Community spray In recent weeks, Samoa has been particularly affected. Just in the past seven days, more than 1,400 new clinically diagnosed cases have been reported across Upolu and Savai'i. There, families and villages have been urged to actively eliminate mosquito breeding sites by improving waste disposal, removing stagnant water, and clearing overgrown vegetation to reduce mosquito populations. Adapting scientific solutions to the Pacific A mosquito release program in Far North Queensland using Wolbachia bacteria helped reduce dengue transmission by making mosquitoes more resistant to the virus and less likely to infect humans. Mosquitoes bred in jars as part of the World Mosquito Program's dengue fever eradication program. ( Supplied: World Mosquito Program ) Dr Tessa Knox, co-lead of the Pacific Mosquito Strengthening for Impact (PacMOSSI) consortium. ( Supplied. ) Although the method proved highly effective in Australia, applying similar scientific interventions in the Pacific presents unique challenges, Tessa Knox from PacMOSSI explains. "Not all mosquito control interventions are suitable for every setting. The Pacific Islands face numerous challenges: a diversity of mosquito species, remote and dispersed populations, limited human resources, fragile health systems, and competing health priorities. "These factors create significant logistical, technical, and resource barriers. Locally tailored solutions are therefore essential. "Across the Pacific, there is great diversity in the species that can transmit dengue. It is important to know which species are found in which habitats and understand when and where they bite people and transmit dengue." Fighting dengue with better mosquito control and insecticide use PacMOSSI is working to support Pacific Island Ministries of Health to improve this knowledge to tailor control strategies against local dengue mosquitoes. The consortium connects 21 Pacific Island countries with seven international institutions to combat mosquito-borne diseases. "Community-led approaches like removing rubbish in yards and public areas to reduce mosquito water habitats are essential. Knowing which species can be killed with which insecticides helps to select the best option for spray teams to use when responding to a dengue outbreak," Dr Knox told ABC Pacific.
SBS Australia
18 hours ago
- SBS Australia
Israel to decide next steps in Gaza as more Palestinians die seeking aid and from hunger
At least 40 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli gunfire and airstrikes in Gaza in the last 24 hours, including 10 seeking aid, and another five have died of starvation or malnutrition, according to Gaza's health authorities. The recent deaths raise the toll of those dying from hunger to 180, including 93 children, since the war began, with international humanitarian agencies warning the situation could be an unfolding famine. 10 of those who died were seeking aid at two separate sites belonging to the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) in central and southern Gaza, local medics said. The United Nations says more than 1,000 people have been killed trying to receive aid in Gaza since the GHF began operating in May 2025, most of them shot by Israeli forces operating near GHF sites. "Everyone who goes there, comes back either with a bag of flour or carried back (on a stretcher) as a martyr, or injured. No one comes back safe," said 40-year-old Palestinian Bilal Thari. He was among mourners at Gaza City's al Shifa hospital on Monday who had gathered to collect the bodies of their loved ones. Israel's next steps in Gaza Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday he would convene his security cabinet this week to discuss how the military should proceed in Gaza to meet all his government's war goals, which include defeating Hamas and releasing the hostages. During a visit to the country last week, US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said he was working with the Israeli government on a plan that would effectively end the war in Gaza. But Israeli officials have also floated ideas, including expanding the military offensive in Gaza and annexing parts of the shattered enclave. The failed ceasefire talks in Doha had aimed to clinch agreements on a US-backed proposal for a 60-day truce, during which aid would be flown into Gaza and half of the hostages Hamas is holding would be freed, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners jailed in Israel. Israel's Channel 12 on Monday cited an official from his office as saying that Netanyahu was inclining towards expanding the offensive and seizing the entire Palestinian enclave. There was no immediate official confirmation, but the Palestinian Authority's foreign ministry denounced what it called a "leaked" plan and urged the international community to intervene to quash any new military occupation. Israel has bombarded Gaza since Hamas' October 7 attack in 2023, in which more than 1,200 people, including an estimated 30 children, were killed and over 200 hostages taken, according to the Israeli government. More than 60,430 people have been killed in Gaza since October 7, according to the health ministry in Gaza. The October 7 attack was a significant escalation in the long-standing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Perth Now
a day ago
- Perth Now
Shortage of burial shrouds as dozens more Gazans die
At least 40 more Palestinians have been killed by Israeli gunfire and air strikes on Gaza, including 10 seeking aid, health authorities said, adding another five had died of starvation in what humanitarian agencies say may be an unfolding famine. The 10 died in two separate incidents near aid sites belonging to the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, in central and southern Gaza, local medics said. The United Nations says more than 1000 people have been killed trying to receive aid in the enclave since the GHF began operating in May 2025, most of them shot by Israeli forces operating near GHF sites. "Everyone who goes there, comes back either with a bag of flour or carried back (on a wooden stretcher) as a martyr, or injured. No one comes back safe," said 40-year-old Palestinian Bilal Thari. He was among mourners at Gaza City's Al Shifa hospital on Monday who had gathered to collect the bodies of their loved ones killed a day earlier by Israeli fire as they sought aid, according to Gaza's health officials. At least 13 Palestinians were killed on Sunday while waiting for the arrival of UN aid trucks at the Zikim crossing on the Israeli border with the northern Gaza Strip, the officials said. At the hospital, some bodies were wrapped in thick patterned blankets because white shrouds, which hold special significance in Islamic burials, were in short supply due to continued Israeli border restrictions and the mounting number of daily deaths, Palestinians said. "We don't want war, we want peace, we want this misery to end. We are out on the streets, we all are hungry, we are all in bad shape, women are out there on the streets, we have nothing available for us to live a normal life like all human beings, there's no life," Thari told Reuters. There was no immediate comment by Israel on Sunday's incident. The Israeli military said in a statement to Reuters that it had not fired earlier on Monday in the vicinity of the aid distribution centre in the southern Gaza Strip, but it did not elaborate further. Israel blames Hamas for the suffering in Gaza and says it is taking steps for more aid to reach its population, including pausing fighting for part of the day in some areas, air drops, and announcing protected routes for aid convoys. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday he would convene his security cabinet this week to discuss how the military should proceed in Gaza to meet all his government's war goals, which include defeating Hamas and releasing the hostages. Meanwhile, five more people died of starvation or malnutrition over the past 24 hours, Gaza's health ministry said on Monday. The new deaths raised the toll of those dying from hunger to 180, including 93 children, since the war began. UN agencies have said that airdrops of food are insufficient and that Israel must let in far more aid by land and quickly ease access to it. COGAT, the Israeli military agency that coordinates aid, said that during the past week, over 23,000 tons of humanitarian aid in 1200 trucks had entered Gaza but that hundreds had yet to be driven to aid distribution hubs by UN and other international organisations. Israel's military later said 120 aid packages containing food had been dropped into Gaza "over the past few hours" by six different countries in collaboration with COGAT. The Hamas-run Gaza government media office said on Sunday that more than 600 aid trucks had arrived since Israel eased restrictions in late July. However, witnesses and Hamas sources said many of those trucks have been looted. Palestinian and UN officials said Gaza needs around 600 aid trucks to enter per day to meet the humanitarian requirements - the number Israel used to allow into Gaza before the war. The Gaza war began when Hamas killed 1200 people and took 251 hostage in an attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, according to Israeli figures. Israel's offensive has since killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials. According to Israeli officials, 50 hostages now remain in Gaza, only 20 of whom are believed to be alive.
