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Shafaq News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Gaza starvation toll hits 133 as global protests demand aid
Shafaq News – Gaza Six more Palestinians, including two children, died from starvation in the past 24 hours, raising Gaza's hunger-related death toll to 133—87 of them children—according to the Health Ministry. Dr. Munir al-Barsh, the ministry's Director-General, warned that delays in aid and medical evacuations are accelerating Gaza's collapse and costing lives. 'Every delay is measured in funerals,' he declared, urging the immediate evacuation of critical patients—especially those with brain and spinal injuries—and the urgent entry of infant formula, therapeutic nutrition, glucose, IV antibiotics, and basic proteins. He emphasized that a humanitarian truce must function as a lifeline, not a pause. The worsening crisis has sparked protests worldwide, including a demonstration in London where thousands placed over 1,000 pots and pans outside the prime minister's office to honor those who died searching for food, prompting clashes and arrests. Protesters blocked streets in Paris demanding a ceasefire and aid access, while rallies in Berlin targeted the Egyptian Embassy and Defense Ministry. Demonstrations also erupted in Yaffa, New York, Morocco, Mauritania, Jordan, Yemen, and Tunisia. Amid mounting pressure, France confirmed it will officially recognize the State of Palestine at the UN General Assembly on September 21, joining Spain, Ireland, and Norway—a move swiftly condemned by Israel and the United States. In the UK, the Scottish National Party vowed to force a parliamentary vote on recognition, with party leader Stephen Flynn accusing both major parties of moral failure and insisting recognition is 'an obligation, not an option.' In Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese denounced Israel's blockade as a violation of international law and referenced the emaciated infant Muhammad Zakariya Ayyoub al-Matouq as a symbol of 'Gaza's agony,' arguing that starving children are not threatening Israel's existence. While Canberra has yet to formally recognize Palestine, Albanese said the step remains under consideration 'at the appropriate time.' Israel continues to assert that sufficient aid is reaching Gaza and faults the UN for poor distribution, a claim UN agencies reject, citing severe Israeli restrictions. Since October 7, 2023, Gaza's Health Ministry reported that more than 59,800 Palestinians—mostly women and children—have been killed, while military operations persist and humanitarian corridors remain tightly controlled despite resumed convoys and limited airdrops.
Days of Palestine
30-05-2025
- Health
- Days of Palestine
Gaza Health Ministry: Israel's forced closure of Al-Awda hospital is a crime
DaysofPal – The administration of Al-Awda Hospital in northern Gaza announced that the Israeli Occupation Forces had begun forcibly evacuating patients and medical staff from the hospital. Amid an ongoing policy of extermination and forced displacement, the action has effectively rendered the entire health sector in northern Gaza non-functional. In a statement posted on Telegram, the Al-Awda Hospital administration confirmed, 'The occupation forces are currently carrying out a forced evacuation of patients and medical staff from the only hospital still operating in northern Gaza.' The statement said the evacuation followed 'days of siege and repeated targeting of the hospital, which constitutes a direct threat to the right to health and life and is a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law.' The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza condemned the evacuation, calling it a 'continuation of the occupation's crimes and violations against the health system in the Strip.' The ministry called on all concerned international parties to intervene to protect medical facilities in line with international and humanitarian laws. According to Dr. Munir al-Barsh, Director General of the Ministry of Health in Gaza, 'Israel has deprived some 400,000 Palestinians in the northern Gaza Strip of health services after forcibly closing Al-Awda Hospital, the last medical facility operating in the area.' Earlier on Thursday, the hospital administration reported that the Israeli army used explosive-laden drones around the building and fired heavily at its staff before ordering the facility's evacuation. At the time of evacuation, the hospital had 97 people inside, including 13 patients and wounded individuals, as well as 84 medical staff. Medical sources confirmed that with Al-Awda's closure, all hospitals in northern Gaza are now out of service. This includes Al-Awda, Al-Indonesi, and Kamal Adwan hospitals, shut down due to direct targeting and prolonged siege. On Wednesday, the Ministry of Health reported that 22 out of 38 hospitals in the Gaza Strip are now out of service due to Israeli attacks. The situation marks a near-total collapse of the Strip's health infrastructure. The forced evacuation follows a series of deliberate attacks on Al-Awda Hospital. Last Thursday, Israeli forces targeted a medicine warehouse inside the hospital, sparking a fire. Two booby-trapped drones were also detonated nearby, causing serious structural damage, according to the hospital administration. Al-Awda Hospital, a private institution, has two branches: one in central Gaza and the other in Jabalia Refugee Camp, northern Gaza. Despite limited resources due to the ongoing Israeli blockade, it had continued offering emergency medical care until Thursday's evacuation. The hospital had already endured repeated shelling, sniper fire, and siege conditions over the past weeks. These assaults are part of a systematic Israeli policy targeting Gaza's health institutions. On May 18, Israeli forces imposed a siege on the Indonesian Hospital, while Kamal Adwan Hospital was subjected to multiple air raids. The targeting of these facilities, according to Palestinian officials, aims to completely dismantle healthcare access in northern Gaza. Israel continues to justify such actions with unsubstantiated claims that hospitals are being used by Palestinian resistance groups. However, international organizations, press investigations, and human rights groups have refuted these allegations, emphasizing that no credible evidence has been presented. Since October 7, 2023, Israel has conducted a wide-scale military campaign in the Gaza Strip. According to Palestinian health authorities, over 177,000 Palestinians have been killed or wounded, most of them women and children, and more than 11,000 remain missing. The health crisis is compounded by the closure of Gaza's border crossings since March 2, which has halted the entry of food, medicine, fuel, and humanitarian aid, creating a catastrophic situation for over 2.4 million residents, the majority of whom are now displaced and homeless. Shortlink for this post:
