Latest news with #DaysofPal
Days of Palestine
2 days ago
- Health
- 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
2 days ago
- Health
- 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
2 days ago
- Politics
- Days of Palestine
Israeli NGO: Israel Committing Genocide in Gaza, International community complicit
DaysofPal- The Israeli human rights organization B'Tselem has confirmed that Israeli actions in the Gaza Strip amount to acts of genocide against the Palestinian people, issuing a scathing public condemnation of the Israeli government's policies in the besieged territory. The organization stated that the Israeli military assault on Gaza goes beyond bombing and destruction, encompassing systematic forced displacement, clear attempts at ethnic cleansing, mass killings of civilians, and the creation of catastrophic living conditions that threaten the lives of hundreds of thousands, especially women and children. B'Tselem warned that these crimes are not limited to Gaza and could expand to other parts of the occupied Palestinian territories if urgent action is not taken to stop them. Moreover, the organization described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as catastrophic by all standards, with famine, healthcare collapse, and widespread infrastructure destruction turning Gaza into a disaster zone that requires immediate international intervention. In addition, B'Tselem strongly criticized the positions of both the European Union and the United States, accusing them of failing to take effective action to stop the massacres in Gaza, and instead, contributing directly or indirectly to their continuation through political and military support or deliberate silence. The group called for a comprehensive and independent international investigation into the war crimes and acts of genocide committed in Gaza, urging the International Criminal Court and human rights organizations around the world to act urgently to stop this humanitarian catastrophe and ongoing assault. These statements come at a time when the death toll of Palestinians from the Israeli war since October 7, 2023, has surpassed 60,000 killed and wounded, most of whom are civilians, as the siege continues and there is no end in sight to the aggression. Shortlink for this post:
Days of Palestine
2 days ago
- Politics
- Days of Palestine
IOF Continues to Detain 11 Foreign Activists from Handala Ship
DaysofPal- The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) continue to hold 11 out of the 21 foreign activists who were aboard the Freedom Flotilla's vessel, Handala, after Israeli naval forces intercepted and seized the ship. The Handala was part of a wider international effort aiming to raise awareness about the ongoing Israeli genocide and suffocating siege on the Gaza Strip and to deliver humanitarian aid to the besieged population. The flotilla's organizers had announced the mission as a peaceful attempt to break the blockade, which has been criticized by many international organizations and governments as a form of collective punishment against nearly 2.5 million Palestinians living in Gaza. The activists on board came from various countries and included humanitarian workers, activists, and journalists who sought to highlight the humanitarian crisis in Gaza caused by years of blockade, military operations, and restrictions on goods and people. Upon interception in international waters, Israeli naval forces detained the activists and escorted the Handala to an Israeli port. While some activists were released, 11 remain in custody under investigation or administrative detention, with limited access to legal representation and family contacts, according to human rights groups monitoring the case. The Israeli occupation maintains a suffocating blockade on Gaza, whereas international criticism continues to mount regarding the legality and humanitarian impact of the siege and the interception of aid flotillas. Human rights organizations and international activists have condemned the Israeli crime, calling for the immediate release of all detainees and an end to the blockade. They emphasized the urgent need for humanitarian assistance to reach Gaza's civilians. The ongoing detention of these activists has sparked renewed debate over freedom of navigation, humanitarian access, and the broader political stalemate surrounding Gaza's future. Shortlink for this post:
Days of Palestine
2 days ago
- Health
- Days of Palestine
Day 661: Israel Slaughters 20 Civilians in Ongoing Gaza Assault
DaysofPal- At least 20 Palestinian civilians were killed in a series of Israeli airstrikes on residential homes across the Gaza Strip early Monday, as Israeli genocide on Gaza entered its 661st day amid a systematic campaign of starvation and collective punishment. According to local media reports, Israeli warplanes struck two civilian homes, one belonging to the Nofal family in the Japanese neighborhood and another to the Zaarab family in the Al-Mawasi area, both in western Khan Younis, southern Gaza. The attacks killed 11 people in the bombing of Nofal family home, and 5 others in the bombing of the residential apartment of the Zaarab family in the same area, injuring more than 30, including women and children, with multiple victims still trapped under the rubble. Meanwhile, a Palestinian woman was killed and several others injured in an airstrike that targeted a house in the Al-Bassa neighborhood of Deir al-Balah, in central Gaza. The attacks came despite Israel's announcement of a so-called 'humanitarian pause' on Sunday evening. In reality, residents say the bombing never stopped. In contrast, air and artillery strikes continued across densely populated areas, including Shuja'iyya in eastern Gaza City and near Al-Salah Association in central Deir al-Balah. Elsewhere, Israeli forces demolished several homes in eastern Gaza, and artillery units shelled the vicinity of Al-Shuja'iyya Club and the Al-Katiba area in Khan Younis, further deepening the devastation. The war, now in its 22nd consecutive month, has pushed the coastal enclave to the brink of collapse. With a crippled health sector, widespread destruction, and a nearly total blockade on aid, famine and disease have gripped hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians. Aid groups and UN agencies continue to warn of a severe humanitarian catastrophe, as the Israeli occupation repeatedly targets aid distribution points and civilians awaiting food, making access to basic survival resources nearly impossible. Shortlink for this post:
