During Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, starting on October 7, the Gaza Strip faced a severe famine, compounding the suffering of the Palestinian population.
A 13-year-old Palestinian child tragically succumbed to starvation on Saturday in the central Gaza Strip, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.
“A 13-year-old Palestinian child has died due to starvation in Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip amidst the closure of the Rafah border crossing,” according to WAFA.
The crossing has been closed for 26 consecutive days, preventing crucial humanitarian aid from entering the region.
According to WAFA, the child’s death brings the toll of those who have perished due to malnutrition and dehydration to 37.
The Israeli blockade has severely restricted the flow of essential supplies, exacerbating the dire situation for Palestinians, particularly in the northern Gaza Strip.
During Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, starting on October 7, the Gaza Strip faced a severe famine, compounding the suffering of the Palestinian population.
‘This is Too Humiliating’ – Famine Overwhelms Gaza Once Again
The prolonged war and hermetic Israeli blockade have led to widespread food shortages, causing malnutrition and starvation among the population.
The international community has raised alarms over the deteriorating humanitarian conditions, urging immediate action to allow the passage of food, water, and medical supplies into Gaza to alleviate the crisis.
‘Humanitarian Catastrophe’
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has repeatedly issued urgent statements regarding the famine in Gaza.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said in a recent statement that “the situation in Gaza is nothing short of a humanitarian catastrophe.”
“The blockade and ongoing conflict have left millions without access to basic necessities, including food and clean water,” he also said, adding:
“We are witnessing a severe famine that threatens the lives of countless individuals, especially children.”
‘Unprecedented Health Emergency’ – UNRWA Warns of Critical Situation in Gaza
UNRWA has also repeatedly highlighted the critical shortages of medical supplies and the dire conditions in hospitals, which are struggling to cope with the increasing number of malnutrition and dehydration cases.
Gaza Genocide
Currently on trial before the International Court of Justice for genocide against Palestinians, Israel has been waging a devastating war on Gaza since October 7.
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, 36,284 Palestinians have been killed, and 82,057 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7.
Moreover, at least 7,000 people are unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes throughout the Strip.
Palestinian and international organizations say that the majority of those killed and wounded are women and children.
The Israeli war has resulted in an acute famine, mostly in northern Gaza, resulting in the death of many Palestinians, mostly children.
The Israeli aggression has also resulted in the forceful displacement of nearly two million people from all over the Gaza Strip, with the vast majority of the displaced forced into the densely crowded southern city of Rafah near the border with Egypt – in what has become Palestine’s largest mass exodus since the 1948 Nakba.
Israel says that 1,200 soldiers and civilians were killed during the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation on October 7. Israeli media published reports suggesting that many Israelis were killed on that day by ‘friendly fire’.
(PC, WAFA)
