GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (BN24) — Seven more Palestinians have died from malnutrition in the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, raising the total number of reported hunger-related deaths since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023 to 154. Among the dead are 89 children, the ministry said Wednesday, as international alarm grows over the deepening humanitarian crisis.
The latest deaths come amid worsening conditions in Gaza, where food, medicine, and fuel remain in critically short supply. On Tuesday, global food security experts backed by the United Nations warned that the worst-case scenario of famine is now “currently playing out” in the enclave. The situation has prompted renewed international scrutiny of Israel’s aid policies and military operations in the territory.
Israel maintains it is not restricting the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, a position disputed by European allies, UN agencies, and humanitarian organizations operating on the ground. The United Nations says at least 600 aid trucks must enter Gaza daily to begin addressing the growing needs. On Tuesday, only 109 trucks reportedly made it into Gaza, with many looted before reaching their intended destinations.
Amid scenes of desperation, crowds have been seen swarming aid trucks carrying basic staples like flour. Witnesses say some people are securing food for their families while others are seizing supplies to resell.
In Rafah, southern Gaza, sources at a local hospital told the BBC that six Palestinians were killed early Wednesday near a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) aid distribution center after an Israeli tank allegedly fired on a crowd gathered outside. The GHF denied any fatalities occurred near its facilities, while the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed the incident involved a group of suspects posing a threat to troops. The IDF said warning shots were fired from a distance of “hundreds of meters” and that casualty numbers reported by Gaza authorities did not match its own data.
The Hamas-run health ministry later reported that 103 people were killed in Gaza over the past 24 hours, including 60 aid seekers, and one body was recovered from rubble. Deadly incidents near aid centers have become near-daily occurrences, with Palestinians accusing the IDF or security contractors of opening fire on civilians. The IDF frequently disputes both the causes of these deaths and the casualty figures.
Meanwhile, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff is scheduled to visit Israel on Thursday to address the worsening humanitarian crisis and ongoing conflict. It will be his first trip to the region in nearly three months and follows the recent collapse of Gaza ceasefire negotiations in Qatar. Both the U.S. and Israel pulled out of those talks last week, with Washington accusing Hamas of failing to negotiate in good faith.
The war began after Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli authorities. Israel responded with a sustained military campaign across the Gaza Strip. According to the Hamas-run health ministry, 60,138 Palestinians have been killed since then.
The Israeli government has also reacted strongly to a statement by UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who pledged to recognize a Palestinian state by September if Israel fails to agree to a ceasefire and move toward a two-state solution. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the UK’s position, saying it rewards what he described as “Hamas’ monstrous terrorism.”
As Gaza faces the growing threat of famine, the urgency for a sustained ceasefire and effective humanitarian relief grows more pressing by the day.
Credit: BBC
