WHO: Gaza lives unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe
WHO also announced that Israeli forces have recently released three of its detained staff members in the Gaza Strip, while a fourth member, a doctor, remains in Israeli custody. The organization called for his immediate and unconditional release.
Moreover, it reported a deadly surge in malnutrition, particularly among children, pregnant women, and the elderly, adding that a growing number of people are dying from hunger or lack of access to essential medical care.
WHO also stressed that new aid distribution points in Gaza have become zones of violence and immediate danger, with repeated incidents of shootings and direct targeting of civilians waiting in line for food.
According to reports by the United Nations and humanitarian organizations, over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed while attempting to access food aid since the beginning of the year, in what has been described as one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. The use of starvation as a weapon of war in Gaza is facing mounting international condemnation.
WHO and other humanitarian agencies have called for the urgent establishment of safe humanitarian corridors and an immediate halt to violations against civilians and health workers.
Shortlink for this post: https://daysofpalestine.ps/?p=66033
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Days of Palestine
an hour ago
- Days of Palestine
40K Infants in Gaza at Risk of Death as Israel Blocks Baby Formula
DaysofPal—The Government Media Office (GMO) in Gaza sounded the alarm over an impending humanitarian catastrophe, as more than 40,000 infants under the age of one face the threat of slow and painful death due to the continued Israeli blockade on baby formula, now in place for over 150 consecutive days. In a statement issued Monday, the Government Media Office in Gaza condemned the Israeli occupation for the 'silent genocide' targeting the most vulnerable segment of the population, infants, by deliberately depriving them of vital nutrition. The ban, part of a wider siege that has crippled the Strip for nearly two years, has brought the region to the brink of a new and devastating health crisis. Dr. Munir al-Bursh, Director-General of the Gaza Ministry of Health, revealed that 133 people, including 87 children, have already died as a direct result of hunger and malnutrition. He warned that the number is likely to rise sharply in the coming days if humanitarian aid is not allowed in immediately. 'This is not merely a food shortage; it is a systematic policy of starvation that violates every principle of human rights and international humanitarian law,' Dr. al-Bursh said. He emphasized that Gaza's healthcare system is barely functioning and that emergency supplies, including infant formula, are urgently needed. The warning comes amid a broader humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, where the ongoing Israeli genocide, now in its 22nd month (661 days), has already killed over 20,000 children and left tens of thousands more injured, orphaned, or displaced. Thousands of children are now living in tents, makeshift shelters, or the ruins of their destroyed homes, with little access to food, clean water, or medical care. The Government Media Office urged the international community, particularly the United Nations, World Health Organization, and human rights organizations, to act immediately to pressure Israel into lifting the blockade and allowing the entry of baby formula, medicine, and humanitarian relief. 'Every day of delay costs more innocent lives,' the statement read. It added that 'The world must not stay silent while infants are starved to death in front of our eyes.' The call for action comes amid growing criticism of Israel's ongoing siege and military campaign in Gaza, which many international observers and rights groups have described as collective punishment and a violation of international humanitarian law. Shortlink for this post:
Days of Palestine
an hour ago
- Days of Palestine
Oxfam Blasts Israel's ‘Engineered Starvation' in Gaza
DaysofPal- In light of a worsening famine and expanding humanitarian crisis, Oxfam International has harshly condemned Israel's meager efforts to lift its blockade of Gaza and warned that current aid initiatives are dangerously inadequate. 'Deadly airdrops and a trickle of trucks won't undo months of engineered starvation in Gaza,' said Bushra Khalidi, Oxfam's policy lead for Israel and Palestine. She stressed that only a full and immediate reopening of all land crossings, combined with a permanent ceasefire, can prevent further mass death. 'What's needed is the immediate opening of all crossings for full, unhindered, and safe aid delivery across all of Gaza and a permanent ceasefire,' Khalidi added. 'Anything less risks being little more than a tactical gesture.' The organization's statement comes after the Israeli occupation forces allowed limited aid to be dropped by air over Gaza on Saturday night, measures widely seen by humanitarian agencies as symbolic and insufficient. Rachel Cummings, humanitarian director at Save the Children UK, echoed Oxfam's criticism. She called air drops random and inefficient, noting that each one delivers the equivalent of just a single truckload of aid. 'We need to enable the United Nations system to manage distribution operations. As humanitarian agencies, we know how to distribute aid safely and humanely,' she said in an interview with ABC News. Cummings described the situation in Gaza as catastrophic: 'Children are starving. Pregnant and breastfeeding women are suffering from malnutrition. Aid must reach people by land.' The warnings come amid mounting international concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where famine is tightening its grip across the territory. Since Israel's total closure of all crossings on March 2, the entry of food and medical supplies has effectively stopped. According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, at least 133 Palestinians have died of starvation and malnutrition since Israel began its war on Gaza in October 2023, including 87 children. Humanitarian groups warn that more than 100,000 children are now at risk of severe hunger or death. Oxfam, Save the Children, and other humanitarian organizations are urging the international community to press Israel to fully lift its blockade and allow sustained, land-based delivery of aid. Shortlink for this post:
Days of Palestine
an hour ago
- Days of Palestine
Israel's Blockade Escalates Gaza Malnutrition Crisis, WHO Warns
DaysofPla – Malnutrition in the Gaza Strip has reached 'alarming levels,' according to a severe warning from the World Health Organization (WHO), which also notes a sharp increase in child and adult fatalities in July. The ongoing Israeli blockade of humanitarian aid is exacerbating the situation, which the WHO said was completely avoidable. In a statement released Sunday, the organization revealed that out of 74 malnutrition-related deaths recorded in Gaza so far in 2025, 63 occurred in July alone. Among the victims were 24 children under the age of five and 38 adults. 'Most of these individuals were pronounced dead on arrival at health facilities or died shortly thereafter, showing clear signs of severe wasting,' the WHO said. The agency underscored that the situation remains salvageable if immediate and sustained humanitarian access is granted. 'Deliberate blocking and delay of large-scale food, health, and humanitarian aid has cost many lives,' the WHO posted on X. 'The crisis remains entirely preventable.' A senior official with the World Food Program also stressed the urgency of obtaining rapid Israeli approval to move aid trucks into Gaza, particularly in light of the newly declared humanitarian truce. According to WHO data, the rate of acute malnutrition among children in Gaza City has tripled since June, making it the hardest-hit area in the Strip. Nearly one in five children under five in the city is now acutely malnourished, based on reports from humanitarian partners working with the UN Nutrition Cluster. The WHO called for an immediate influx of diverse and nutritious food, therapeutic supplies for children, life-saving medicines, and essential health materials, emphasizing that this support must be 'consistent and unhindered.' 'The current figures may underrepresent the true scale of the crisis,' the organization warned, citing severe access restrictions and insecurity that prevent many families from reaching health services. Over the first two weeks of July alone, more than 5,000 children under five were treated for malnutrition in Gaza, with 18% suffering from severe acute malnutrition. That follows a record 6,500 malnourished children treated in June, the highest monthly figure since the war began in October 2023. In July, 73 children were hospitalized with severe acute malnutrition and medical complications, nearly double the 39 recorded in June. This mounting caseload is placing growing pressure on the Strip's already overstretched health infrastructure, which currently has only four malnutrition treatment centers. On the other hand, Ross Smith, director of emergencies at the World Food Programme, said the program needed Israel's swift approval for its trucks to move into Gaza. 'We don't need words; we need action on the ground,' he added. 'We need to get permits and approvals really quickly. If the truces are going to last 10 hours, we won't be able to take advantage of these pauses.' Israel's policy of starvation against over two million Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip has drawn increasing international condemnation in recent days. The policy has caused widespread famine among the besieged population, with dozens of Palestinians dying within days. Shortlink for this post:
