
Almost a third of Gazans 'not eating for days': UN agency
The Rome-based World Food Programme had previously warned of a "critical risk of famine" in war-ravaged Gaza, over which international condemnation of Israel's actions has been growing.
"Nearly one person in three is not eating for days. Malnutrition is surging with 90,000 women and children in urgent need of treatment," a WFP statement said.
It stated that 470,000 people are expected to face "catastrophic hunger" — the most critical category under the U.N.'s Integrated Food Security Phase classification — between May and September this year.
"Food aid is the only way for people to access any food as food prices are through the roof," the WFP said.
"People are dying from a lack of humanitarian assistance."
Aid groups have warned of surging numbers of malnourished children in Gaza, which Israel placed under an aid blockade in March amid its war with Hamas.

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L'Orient-Le Jour
10 hours ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Israel reauthorizes partial entry of private goods into Gaza
Hamas must be 'totally defeated' in Gaza to free all Israeli hostages, says Netanyahu Israel must 'totally defeat' Hamas in Gaza to secure the release of all remaining Israeli hostages held in the Palestinian territory, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. 'It is necessary to completely defeat the enemy in Gaza, to free all our hostages, and to ensure that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel. We are not abandoning any of these missions,' he said in a statement from his office, quoted by AFP. 15:14 Beirut Time An Israeli drone dropped a stun grenade on one of the neighborhoods in the town of Kfar Kila (Marjayoun), according to eyewitnesses. Bulldozers and vehicles belonging to the Israeli forces are carrying out excavation, expansion, and fortification works around the newly established center in the roundabouts between Markaba and Houla in the Marjayoun district, according to our correspondent in the south. Ten days ago, similar expansion and fortification works were carried out on the occupied Hammams Hill, south of Khiam. 15:06 Beirut Time Gaza death toll rises to 61,020, says health ministry At least 61,020 Palestinians have been killed and 150,671 injured in Israeli attacks on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, according to a statement from the Gaza Health Ministry on Tuesday. In the past 24 hours alone, 87 people were killed — including 52 aid seekers — and 644 others wounded, the ministry said. In a post on Telegram, the ministry added that many 'victims remain under the rubble or on the streets, with ambulances and civil defense teams unable to reach them.' Hospitals in Gaza also recorded eight new deaths from famine and malnutrition, including one child, bringing the total famine-related death toll to 188, among them 94 children. 14:35 Beirut Time Israeli forces kill 6 aid seekers near GHF aid site At least six Palestinians were killed and nine others injured on Tuesday morning near an aid distribution point run by the GHF close to the Netzarim Corridor in central Gaza, according to Al Jazeera. The wounded were taken to nearby hospitals, including al-Awda and Al-Aqsa Hospitals in northern Gaza, with injuries to both upper and lower parts of their bodies. Eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes as Israeli forces reportedly opened fire on the crowd, forcing people to flee shortly after aid seekers began collecting food boxes. Gaza's Government Media Office has warned of an intensifying humanitarian catastrophe, accusing Israel of deliberately restricting aid and fuelling instability in the besieged territory. 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Israeli parliamentarian Ofer Cassif from the left-wing Hadash-Ta'al party was forcibly removed from the Knesset podium on Monday night after quoting writer David Grossman, who described Israel's actions in Gaza as 'genocide,' Haaretz reports. Cassif said Grossman, in a recent interview, admitted with 'immense pain' that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. The session's chair interrupted Cassif, calling the quote 'made up' and ordered his removal. Another lawmaker shouted, 'He will not say 'genocide' in here!' before ushers physically removed Cassif. 12:05 Beirut Time Red Crescent says volunteer killed by Israeli fire while searching for food The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) reported that a volunteer was fatally shot by Israeli forces while looking for food amid worsening hunger in Gaza, according to Al Jazeera. 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This statement comes days after an Israeli strike hit the PRCS headquarters in Gaza, killing one worker and injuring three others. 11:35 Beirut Time Israeli media reported Monday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is now pushing for the full occupation of the Gaza Strip, according to unnamed sources close to him. Channel 12 quoted senior officials in the Prime Minister's Office as saying: 'The decision has been made, Israel is heading towards the occupation of the Gaza Strip.' The report said Netanyahu used the phrase 'occupation of the Strip' in talks with cabinet members and is planning to expand the military offensive, which has largely stalled in recent months. Ynet also cited sources indicating Israel is preparing for the full occupation of Gaza. Netanyahu is currently wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes. The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has strongly condemned the storming of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Sunday by Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and settler groups, who were escorted by Israeli forces, according to Wafa news agency and Middle East Eye. In a statement, the OIC said the move was part of ongoing Israeli attempts to alter the historical and legal status quo at the holy site. The organisation also called on the international community to act urgently to stop these serious violations and to safeguard the Islamic and Christian holy sites in occupied Jerusalem. Under the long-standing status quo, Jewish prayer is prohibited at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, located on the raised plateau in occupied East Jerusalem's Old City. 10:36 Beirut Time Overview of the situation in South Lebanon this morning: An Israeli drone dropped a bomb on another Israeli drone that had crashed earlier this morning in the village of Kfar Shuba, to destroy it, according to our correspondent. An Israeli drone dropped leaflets this morning over the northern neighborhood of Kfar Shuba, in Hasbaya District. The leaflets read: 'The bulldozer targeted had been used by Hezbollah to rehabilitate its military infrastructure.' An Israeli drone dropped a stun grenade over the Kasayer neighborhood, east of Mais al-Jabal, near a bulldozer. It then dropped a second stun grenade over Kroum al-Sharqi, also east of the village. No casualties were reported. 10:35 Beirut Time Netanyahu says he's preparing 'instructions' for continuing the war Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced yesterday that he would issue "instructions" this week on the continuation of the war in Gaza. During a Cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said he would convene his war cabinet 'this week' to give the military guidance on 'how to achieve the three war goals we have set.' "We are in the midst of an intense war in which we have achieved very significant, historic successes because we remained united (…) We must continue to remain united," he said. He reiterated the three goals: Later in the evening, Channel 11 reported that Netanyahu would convene the cabinet on Tuesday. According to The Jerusalem Post, citing a source from the Prime Minister's Office, Netanyahu has 'decided to fully occupy the Gaza Strip, including operations in areas where hostages are held.' Channel 12 quoted a similar anonymous official echoing the same. Israel announces it intercepted a missile fired from Yemen The Israeli army announced on Tuesday that it had intercepted a missile launched from Yemen, which triggered air raid sirens across several areas in Israel. 'A missile launched from Yemen was intercepted by the air force,' the army stated on social media. 'Sirens sounded in accordance with protocol.' Earlier, the army had mentioned a projectile launched by the Houthis from Yemen. Israel reauthorizes partial entry of private goods into Gaza Israel has re-authorized the partial entry of private goods into the besieged and famine-threatened Gaza Strip, announced COGAT, a branch of the Israeli Defense Ministry responsible for civil administration in Palestinian territories. 'A mechanism has been approved to gradually and in a controlled manner resume the entry of goods via the private sector into Gaza,' the statement read. The goal is 'to increase the volume of aid entering Gaza while reducing dependency on aid collection by the U.N. and international organizations.'

L'Orient-Le Jour
6 days ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Spain to evacuate 13 ill children from Gaza for treatment
A Spanish military plane will fly 13 ailing children from war-torn Gaza and their families from Jordan to Spain for hospital treatment, Defence Minister Margarita Robles said Wednesday. An A400 military transport aircraft is being fitted with medical equipment and is scheduled to depart later Wednesday for Amman to bring them to Spain "so they can be treated," she said. Spain has repeatedly taken in sick children since the start of the Israeli offensive in Gaza sparked by Hamas's 2023 attack on Israel. The country's leftist government has been among the most vocal critics in the European Union of Israel's ongoing military campaign in the densely populated, narrow coastal strip. "The situation in Gaza is absolutely terrible. The level of cruelty shown by [Benjamin] Netanyahu is absolutely unacceptable, and I believe the international community must respond," Robles said, referring to Israel's prime minister. Earlier this week, the Spanish government said it would airdrop 12 tonnes of food into Gaza as the threat of famine stalks the Palestinian territory after 21 months of war. A similar airdrop of 26 tonnes took place in March 2024. The war was triggered by an unprecedented cross-border attack by Hamas into Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which resulted in the death of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official data. In response, Israel launched a war that has killed more than 60,000 people in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to data from Gaza's Health Ministry.


MTV Lebanon
29-07-2025
- MTV Lebanon
Gaza Crisis Could Be Labeled Famine, Global Hunger Monitor Warns
A worst-case scenario of famine is unfolding in Gaza and immediate action is needed to end fighting and allow unimpeded aid access, a global hunger monitor warned on Tuesday, saying failure to act now would result in widespread death. Its alert coincided with a statement from Gaza health authorities saying Israel's military campaign had now killed more than 60,000 Palestinians. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) raised the prospect that the manmade starvation crisis could be formally classified as a famine, in the hope that this might raise the pressure on Israel to let far more food deliveries in. "Mounting evidence shows that widespread starvation, malnutrition, and disease are driving a rise in hunger-related deaths," the IPC said. It added that it would quickly carry out the formal analysis that could allow it to classify Gaza as "in famine". But it is unclear whether any such announcement would help to remove the main obstacle to food reaching Gaza's 2.1 million people: Israel's refusal to allow more than a trickle of trucks in. "We're getting about approximately 50% of what we're requesting into Gaza since these humanitarian pauses started on Sunday," Ross Smith of the World Food Programme told reporters in Geneva by video. The WFP says almost 470,000 people are enduring famine-like conditions, with 90,000 women and children in need of specialist nutrition. Gaza's health ministry says at least 147 people have died of hunger including 88 children, most in the last few weeks. Images of emaciated children have shocked the world and fuelled international criticism of Israel, prompting it at the weekend to announce daily humanitarian pauses to fighting in three areas of Gaza and new safe corridors for aid convoys. Yet the supply remains far short of what aid agencies say is the bare minimum required. The IPC alert said this meant 62,000 metric tons of staple food a month, but that according to the Israeli aid coordination agency COGAT, only 19,900 tons entered in May and 37,800 in June. Smith said the WFP lacked the stocks or permissions to reopen the bakeries and community kitchens that had been a lifeline before a total Israeli blockade began in May. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said on Tuesday that that the situation in Gaza was "tough" but that there were lies about starvation. He said 5,000 aid trucks had entered Gaza in the last two months, and that Israel would assist those wanting to conduct airdrops - a delivery method that aid groups say is ineffective and tokenistic. Israel has consistently said its actions are justified as self-defence. It says the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which ruled Gaza, is to blame for refusing to release hostages and surrender, and for operating in civilian areas, which Hamas denies. The IPC alert said that "immediate action must be taken to end the hostilities and allow unimpeded, large-scale, life-saving humanitarian response. "This is the only path to stopping further deaths and catastrophic human suffering." The IPC partners with governments, international aid groups and U.N. agencies and assesses the extent of hunger suffered by a population. Its famine classification requires at least 20% of people to be suffering extreme food shortages, with one in three children acutely malnourished and two people out of every 10,000 dying every day from starvation or malnutrition and disease. The IPC's latest data indicated that formal famine thresholds have already been reached for food consumption in most of Gaza, and for acute malnutrition in Gaza City. But David Miliband, head of the International Rescue Committee aid group, said that "formal famine declarations always lag reality". "By the time that famine was declared in Somalia in 2011, 250,000 people - half of them children under 5 - had already died of hunger," he said in a statement. "By the time famine is declared, it will already be too late." War has raged in Gaza between Israel and Hamas militants for 22 months. After an 11-week Israeli blockade, limited U.N.-led aid operations resumed on May 19 and a week later the obscure new U.S.-based Gaza Humanitarian Foundation - backed by Israel and the United States - began distributing food aid. The rival aid efforts have sparked a war of words - pitting Israel, the U.S. and the GHF against the U.N., international aid groups and dozens of governments from around the world. Israel and the U.S. accuse Hamas of stealing aid - which the militants deny - and the U.N. of failing to prevent it. The U.N. says it has not seen evidence of Hamas diverting much aid. The IPC said 88% of Gaza was now under evacuation orders or within militarised areas, and was critical of GHF efforts. It said most of the GHF food items "require water and fuel to cook, which are largely unavailable". The IPC's Famine Review Committee said: "Our analysis of the food packages supplied by the GHF shows that their distribution plan would lead to mass starvation." The GHF was not immediately available for comment. It has previously said it has so far distributed more than 96 million meals. Jolien Veldwijk, CARE Palestine Country Director, said that Palestinians were suffering a "manmade famine, caused by Israel's siege and the deliberate obstruction of aid, fuelled by the inaction of world leaders". "The haunting images of emaciated children are evidence of a failure of humanity to act." The war in Gaza began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas killed 1,200 people in southern Israel and took some 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.