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Daily Mail
17 minutes ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Israel is accused of 'mass starvation' as 100 charities blast aid blockade: At least ten people 'die of malnutrition' in 24 hours
Israel stood accused tonight of inflicting 'mass starvation' on Gaza amid reports that at least ten people have died of malnutrition in 24 hours. It brought the toll of deaths from hunger in recent weeks to 111, including 80 children, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Harrowing scenes among crowds at aid points have shown desperate women and children pleading for food while photos inside hospitals have revealed starving babies and children. The United Nations has estimated nearly 100,000 women and children in Gaza are approaching malnutrition. More than 100 international aid organisations and human rights groups issued a joint letter blaming Israel for the deteriorating situation. Agencies such as Save the Children, Medecins Sans Frontieres and the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) led the calls for a ceasefire, for land crossings to be reopened and for food, water and medical supplies to be restored. They wrote: 'Palestinians are trapped in a cycle of hope and heartbreak, waiting for assistance and ceasefires, only to wake up to worsening conditions. 'As mass starvation spreads across Gaza, our colleagues and those we serve are wasting away. 'As the Israeli government's siege starves the people of Gaza, aid workers are now joining the same food lines, risking being shot just to feed their families.' However, Israel denied the claims, insisting that almost 1,000 trucks of aid await distribution by aid agencies to Gazan civilians. Its foreign ministry accused the groups of 'echoing Hamas propaganda' and said it has allowed around 4,500 aid trucks to enter Gaza since lifting a complete blockade in May. It insisted that more than 700 lorries are waiting to be picked up and distributed by the UN. That's an average of around 70 a day, the lowest rate of the war and far below the 500 to 600 trucks a day the UN says are needed and which entered during a six-week ceasefire earlier this year. The agencies said only 28 trucks a day are getting through because Israel is blocking these organisations from 'accessing and delivering' supplies. They described Israeli aid drops as 'symbolic' and a 'smokescreen for inaction' while such measures 'cannot replace legal and moral obligations to protect civilians'. At least 100 Palestinians were said yesterday to have died across the enclave in the previous 24 hours. The move by the agencies appeared to have paid off on Wednesday night as Donald Trump intervened to add pressure on Israel. More than 100 international aid organisations and human rights groups issued a joint letter blaming Israel for the deteriorating situation The White House claimed the US President was distressed by the latest 'mass casualty event' on Sunday when 79 civilians were killed after Israeli troops opened fire at an aid station. Mr Trump has dispatched US peace envoy Steve Witkoff to lead talks in Rome tomorrow, with Israeli minister of strategic affairs Ron Dermer and Qatari envoys representing Hamas. The appeal by the agencies also came as the UN claimed more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed as they queued for aid in Gaza in the previous two months. UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres has described the situation in Gaza as 'a horror show' and added: 'We are seeing the last gasp of a humanitarian system built on humanitarian principles.' The Vatican has expressed growing frustration at the killings in Gaza 'of children queueing for a handful of rice'.
The Independent
5 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Sir Sadiq Khan calls on ministers to immediately recognise Palestinian statehood
Sir Sadiq Khan has piled pressure on the Government over Israel as he called on ministers to 'immediately recognise Palestinian statehood'. The Mayor of London said that the UK 'must do far more to pressure the Israeli government to stop this horrific senseless killing', as aid groups have warned of starvation in the Gaza Strip. It comes as the Archbishop of York labelled the situation in Gaza a 'a stain on the conscience of the international community'. More than 100 organisations including Doctors Without Borders and Save the Children have put their names to an open letter in which they said they were watching their own colleagues, as well as the Palestinians they serve, 'waste away'. 'The government of Israel's restrictions, delays and fragmentation under its total siege have created chaos, starvation and death,' the letter said. In a statement posted on X on Wednesday, Labour mayor Sir Sadiq said pointed to 'starving children searching hopelessly for food in the rubble' and 'family members being shot dead by Israeli soldiers as they search for aid'. 'The international community – including our own Government – must do far more to pressure the Israeli government to stop this horrific senseless killing and let vital life saving aid in,' he added. Sir Sadiq went on: 'The UK must immediately recognise Palestinian statehood. There can be no two state solution if there is no viable state left to call Palestine.' Shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel said that the mayor should 'should spend less time trying to play on the world stage' and 'focus on fixing his own mess in the capital'. Meanwhile the current most senior bishop in the Church of England has branded the infliction of 'violence, starvation and dehumanisation' on the people of Gaza by the Israeli government 'depraved and unconscionable'. Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell welcomed the UK and other nations' recent condemnation of the Israeli and US-backed current aid delivery model, which has reportedly resulted in Israel Defence Forces troops firing on Palestinian civilians in search of food on multiple occasions, but insisted there is 'no time to wait' for further action to be taken to 'stop this ongoing assault on Gaza'. He said: 'With each passing day in Gaza, the violence, starvation and dehumanisation being inflicted on the civilian population by the government of Israel becomes more depraved and unconscionable. 'In the name of God, I cry out against this barbaric assault on human life and dignity. It is a stain on the conscience of the international community, and a flagrant breach of international humanitarian law.' He repeated his call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the release of all hostages and said he rejected 'any policy that would amount to the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian population from Gaza'. World Health Organisation (WHO) director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday that people in Gaza are facing 'yet another killer on top of bombs and bullets: starvation'. On Tuesday, Wes Streeting called for recognition of Palestine 'while there's still a state of Palestine left to recognise'. Speaking in the House of Commons, the Health Secretary described Israel's attacks on healthcare workers as going 'well beyond legitimate self-defence'. He told MPs he hopes 'that the international community can come together, as the Foreign Secretary has been driving towards, to make sure that we see an end to this war, but also the recognition of the state of Palestine while there's still a state of Palestine left to recognise'. Foreign Secretary David Lammy has hinted that Israel could face further sanctions from the UK if it does not agree to a ceasefire. Asked by ITV's Good Morning Britain on Tuesday what more he planned to do if Israel did not agree to end the conflict, the Foreign Secretary replied: 'Well, we've announced a raft of sanctions over the last few months. 'There will be more, clearly, and we keep all of those options under consideration if we do not see a change in behaviour and the suffering that we are seeing come to an end.' Hamas-led militants abducted 251 people in the October 7 attack in 2023 that triggered the war and killed around 1,200 people. Fewer than half of the 50 hostages still in Gaza are believed to be alive.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Sir Sadiq Khan calls on ministers to immediately recognise Palestinian statehood
Sir Sadiq Khan has piled pressure on the Government over Israel as he called on ministers to 'immediately recognise Palestinian statehood'. The Mayor of London said that the UK 'must do far more to pressure the Israeli government to stop this horrific senseless killing', as aid groups have warned of starvation in the Gaza Strip. It comes as the Archbishop of York labelled the situation in Gaza a 'a stain on the conscience of the international community'. More than 100 organisations including Doctors Without Borders and Save the Children have put their names to an open letter in which they said they were watching their own colleagues, as well as the Palestinians they serve, 'waste away'. 'The government of Israel's restrictions, delays and fragmentation under its total siege have created chaos, starvation and death,' the letter said. In a statement posted on X on Wednesday, Labour mayor Sir Sadiq said pointed to 'starving children searching hopelessly for food in the rubble' and 'family members being shot dead by Israeli soldiers as they search for aid'. 'The international community – including our own Government – must do far more to pressure the Israeli government to stop this horrific senseless killing and let vital life saving aid in,' he added. Sir Sadiq went on: 'The UK must immediately recognise Palestinian statehood. There can be no two state solution if there is no viable state left to call Palestine.' Shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel said that the mayor should 'should spend less time trying to play on the world stage' and 'focus on fixing his own mess in the capital'. Meanwhile the current most senior bishop in the Church of England has branded the infliction of 'violence, starvation and dehumanisation' on the people of Gaza by the Israeli government 'depraved and unconscionable'. Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell welcomed the UK and other nations' recent condemnation of the Israeli and US-backed current aid delivery model, which has reportedly resulted in Israel Defence Forces troops firing on Palestinian civilians in search of food on multiple occasions, but insisted there is 'no time to wait' for further action to be taken to 'stop this ongoing assault on Gaza'. He said: 'With each passing day in Gaza, the violence, starvation and dehumanisation being inflicted on the civilian population by the government of Israel becomes more depraved and unconscionable. 'In the name of God, I cry out against this barbaric assault on human life and dignity. It is a stain on the conscience of the international community, and a flagrant breach of international humanitarian law.' He repeated his call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the release of all hostages and said he rejected 'any policy that would amount to the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian population from Gaza'. On Tuesday, Wes Streeting called for recognition of Palestine 'while there's still a state of Palestine left to recognise'. Speaking in the House of Commons, the Health Secretary described Israel's attacks on healthcare workers as going 'well beyond legitimate self-defence'. He told MPs he hopes 'that the international community can come together, as the Foreign Secretary has been driving towards, to make sure that we see an end to this war, but also the recognition of the state of Palestine while there's still a state of Palestine left to recognise'. Foreign Secretary David Lammy has hinted that Israel could face further sanctions from the UK if it does not agree to a ceasefire. The UK must immediately recognise Palestinian statehood. There can be no two state solution if there is no viable state left to call Palestine. — Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan (@MayorofLondon) July 23, 2025 Asked by ITV's Good Morning Britain on Tuesday what more he planned to do if Israel did not agree to end the conflict, the Foreign Secretary replied: 'Well, we've announced a raft of sanctions over the last few months. 'There will be more, clearly, and we keep all of those options under consideration if we do not see a change in behaviour and the suffering that we are seeing come to an end.' Hamas-led militants abducted 251 people in the October 7 attack in 2023 that triggered the war and killed around 1,200 people. Fewer than half of the 50 hostages still in Gaza are believed to be alive.
The National
7 hours ago
- Health
- The National
Ten Palestinians reported dead from hunger in Gaza over past 24 hours
At least 10 people have died from starvation in Gaza over the past 24 hours, health officials said on Wednesday. The deaths take the total to 111 Palestinians − including at least 80 children − killed by hunger since the start of the Israel-Gaza war almost 22 months ago, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. This came as more than 100 aid organisations and human rights groups, including Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Save the Children and Oxfam, warned that ' mass starvation ' was spreading in the Palestinian enclave. The head of the World Health Organisation, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said a "large proportion" of the population of Gaza was starving. I don't know what you would call it other than mass starvation - and it's man-made," said t On Tuesday, Dr Mohammed Abu Salmiya, director of Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza city, said 21 children had died from malnutrition and starvation in the previous three days. The plight of Gazans trying to collect aid is worsened by the dangers involved. The UN said this week that since late May, more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli military while waiting for supplies. On Wednesday, four people were killed by Israeli forces near a distribution point in the central Wadi Gaza area, reported official Palestinian news agency Wafa. Gaza city resident Hassouna Al Badri told The National that hunger is forcing desperate people to risk their lives and gather at aid centres rumoured to be receiving flour shipments. But securing supplies is still not guaranteed. 'I stayed there for hours but I came back home empty-handed,' he said. 'People were pushing each other, they don't care what's around them. Even with gunfire everywhere, people are desperate, they are hungry and have no other options.' Mr Al Badri said he would not take the risk again, despite the dire food situation. On the market, one kilogram of flour costs about 70 shekels ($21). "I can't afford that every two days," he said. "We need a mechanism that guarantees aid reaches the warehouses of international organisations. Otherwise, we'll never get our share.' Israel is facing mounting international pressure over the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza, where more than two million people are facing severe food shortages. It flatly denies blocking the entry of supplies, claiming on Wednesday that aid from 700 lorries is inside Gaza and ready for international agencies to collect and distribute it. The Foreign Ministry also said "close to 4,500 trucks entered Gaza, including flour for bakeries and 2,500 tonnes of baby food and high-calorie special food for children', without specifying the period in which these deliveries took place. However, humanitarian organisations say many warehouses filled with aid are just outside the territory and subject to Israeli entry controls. For warehouses inside Gaza, the NGOs are blocked from accessing and delivering the supplies, they say. Israel has also denied the claims of large-scale starvation, accusing Hamas of looting aid and blocking its distribution. But the UN says Israel's restrictions and rejections of permits are the main reason for mounting stockpiles at border crossings. The UN said on Tuesday that 1,054 people have been killed by Israeli forces while trying to obtain food since late May. It said 766 people were killed while heading to sites run by the US and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. The UN and NGOs have refused to be involved in GHF operations, with senior officials describing them as 'death traps'. Gaza city resident Um Mohannad Filfil, 55, had one son killed and another injured while trying to bring home a sack of flour. The mother of six also lost her husband to an air strike earlier in the war. 'After I lost my son, I will never let my other son go again to bring flour,' she said through tears. 'I can't afford the prices of food any more. What should we do? I don't even have a place to stay after losing my home and business. 'I need to take care of my wounded son, I must think about how to feed my family. We need the world to see us, to save us.' The UN's efforts to co-ordinate aid have been curtailed, especially with growing restrictions on the organisation's Palestinian agency UNRWA, which has extensive experience and infrastructure from large-scale distribution work in Gaza since 1948. Abed Al Raheem Nazer, 60, believes the only group that can manage aid distribution is UNRWA. 'Other organisations lack the trust and capacity,' the Gaza city resident said. 'My son tried to reach the trucks, but he couldn't get any flour. The crowds were massive and the area was too dangerous. If things continue like this, I don't know how we will manage to get food.' As the situation worsens, the international community faces growing pressure to act. But for families like Ms Filfil's, any solution may come too late. 'What is happening can't be imagined,' she said. 'This war must end. We need help, real help, before more of us are lost.'
Associated Press
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
More than 100 aid groups warn of starvation in Gaza as Israeli strikes kill 21 overnight
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — More than 100 charity and human rights groups said Wednesday that Israel's blockade and ongoing military offensive are pushing Palestinians in the Gaza Strip toward starvation, as Israeli strikes killed another 21 people overnight, according to local health officials. The Trump administration's Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff was meanwhile set to meet with a senior Israeli official about ceasefire talks, a sign that lower-level negotiations that have dragged on for weeks could be approaching a breakthrough. Experts say Gaza is at risk of famine because of Israel's blockade and offensive, launched in response to Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack. Israel says it allows enough aid into the territory and faults delivery efforts by U.N. agencies, which say they are hindered by Israeli restrictions and the breakdown of security. Hamas has said it will only release the remaining 50 hostages it holds, around 20 of them believed to be alive, in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal, while Israel has vowed to recover all the captives and continue the war until Hamas has been defeated or disarmed. 'Chaos, starvation and death' In an open letter, 115 organizations, including major international aid groups like Doctors Without Borders, Mercy Corps and Save the Children, said they were watching their own colleagues, as well as the Palestinians they serve, 'waste away.' It blamed Israeli restrictions and 'massacres' at aid distribution points. Witnesses, health officials and the U.N. human rights office say Israeli forces have repeatedly fired on crowds seeking aid, killing more than 1,000 people. Israel says its forces have only fired warning shots and that the death toll is exaggerated. 'The government of Israel's restrictions, delays, and fragmentation under its total siege have created chaos, starvation, and death,' the letter said. Israel's Foreign Ministry rejected the criticism and accused the groups of 'echoing Hamas' propaganda.' It said it has allowed around 4,500 aid trucks to enter Gaza since lifting a complete blockade in May, and that more than 700 are waiting to be picked up and distributed by the United Nations. That's an average of around 70 trucks a day, the lowest rate of the war and far below the 500-600 trucks a day the U.N. says are needed, and which entered during a six-week ceasefire earlier this year. The U.N. says it has struggled to deliver aid inside Gaza because of Israeli military restrictions, ongoing fighting, and a breakdown of law and order. An alternative system established by Israel and an American contractor has been marred by violence and controversy. Top adviser to Netanyahu will meet US envoy in Rome An official familiar with ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas said Ron Dermer, a top adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was travelling to Rome to meet Witkoff on Thursday to discuss the state of the talks. The official spoke Wednesday on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the sensitive negotiations. U.S. officials said Witkoff planned to head to Europe this week. The State Department spokesperson said he was headed to the Middle East in a sign that momentum may be building toward a deal. The evolving deal, which is still being hammered out, is expected to include a 60-day ceasefire in which Hamas would release 10 living hostages and the remains of 18 others in phases in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Aid supplies would be ramped up and the two sides would hold negotiations on a lasting truce. Overnight strikes kill at least 21 Israel has continued to carry out waves of daily airstrikes against what it says are militant targets but which often kill women and children. Israel blames civilian deaths on Hamas because the militants operate in densely populated areas. Strikes overnight and into Wednesday killed at least 21 people, more than half of them women and children, according to local health officials. One of the strikes hit a house in Gaza City, killing at least 12 people, according to Shifa Hospital, which received the casualties. The dead included six children and two women, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The Israeli military said it struck an Islamic Jihad militant, and that the incident was under review because of reports of civilian casualties. Another strike hit an apartment in northern Gaza, killing at least six people. Among the dead were three children and two women, including one who was pregnant. Eight others were wounded, the ministry said. A third strike hit a tent in Gaza City late Tuesday and killed three children, Shifa Hospital said. There was no immediate comment from the military on those strikes. Hamas-led militants abducted 251 people in the Oct. 7 attack, and killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians. More than 59,000 Palestinians have been killed during the war, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Its count doesn't distinguish between militants and civilians, but the ministry says that more than half of the dead are women and children. The U.N. and other international organizations see it as the most reliable source of data on casualties. ___ Goldenberg reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. ___ Follow AP's war coverage at
