"Prevent Dying Of Starvation": Barack Obama On Gaza Humanitarian Crisis
"While a lasting resolution to the crisis in Gaza must involve a return of all hostages and a cessation of Israel's military operations, these articles underscore the immediate need for action to be taken to prevent the travesty of innocent people dying of preventable starvation," Obama said, linking to a US media article.
He asserted that aid "must be permitted" to reach the people in the Gaza Strip.
"There is no justification for keeping food and water away from civilian families," the former US President said.
While a lasting resolution to the crisis in Gaza must involve a return of all hostages and a cessation of Israel's military operations, these articles underscore the immediate need for action to be taken to prevent the travesty of innocent people dying of preventable starvation.…
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) July 27, 2025
The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Sunday warned that the malnutrition rates are reaching "alarming levels" in Gaza, adding the "deliberate blocking" of aid was entirely preventable and had cost many lives. Out of the 74 recorded malnutrition-related deaths this year, 63 had occurred in July - including 24 children under five, one child aged over five, and 38 adults, it said.
According to WHO, nearly one in five children in Gaza is now acutely malnourished, and the percentage of children aged four to six years suffering from acute malnutrition has tripled in the city since June, making it the worst-hit area in the Palestinian territory.
Food experts have also warned for months the risk of famine in Gaza - where Israel restricted aid to the population of over 2 million, saying that Hamas "siphons off" goods to help bolster its rule.
10-Hour Tactical Pause
The Israeli military on Sunday began a limited pause in fighting in three populated areas of Gaza for 10 hours a day amid growing concerns over surging hunger and global criticism over its 21-month war. Calling it a "tactical pause", the Israeli military said it would increase the humanitarian aid flow entering the territory. The pause runs from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm daily until further notice.
"Whichever path we choose, we will have to continue to allow the entry of minimal humanitarian supplies," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
6 hours ago
- Time of India
Famine in Gaza threatens thousands with starvation, WHO warns
Gaza: The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that Gaza is facing the most severe stage of famine according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, with thousands at risk of dying from hunger. In a statement issued today, the organisation said residents of Gaza are suffering from extreme food shortages, with some going days without eating and others dying from severe weakness or organ failure. Children with acute malnutrition, it added, are particularly at risk of death without urgent treatment. The statement highlighted that Gaza's healthcare system is no longer able to function effectively due to a dire shortage of medical supplies and fuel, compounding the suffering of both patients and healthcare workers. The organisation noted that recovery from malnutrition requires months of specialised medical care and therapeutic feeding, warning that some effects may be lifelong, such as stunted growth and chronic health conditions. The WHO called for the immediate and unhindered entry of humanitarian aid -- food and medicine -- through all possible routes. It urged Israel to facilitate the delivery of assistance and ensure its safe and rapid passage in order to save lives and end the suffering of civilians. The organisation also renewed its call for a ceasefire.
New Indian Express
9 hours ago
- New Indian Express
India's institutional deliveries go up, but early breastfeeding in the first hour still low: Report
She said India needs to seriously implement the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative/Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, as recommended by the WHO and UNICEF, which have recommended that children initiate breastfeeding within the first hour of birth and be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life – meaning no other foods or liquids are provided, including water - and continue to breastfeed for another two years. The report, which assessed and monitored India on 10 indicators of policy and programmes and five practices of breastfeeding and Infant and Young Child Feeding, found that the second indicator Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative/Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding has seen only a marginal increase from zero out of ten in 2018 to 1.5 out of ten in 2024-25. Titled 'Spotlight on Breastfeeding and Infant and Young Child Feeding in India', the report said that India's MAA ((Mothers' Absolute Affection) programme, launched in 2016, is the strength and has the potential to implement all the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding. 'The country has a certification system National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS) and a training programme for the staff. However, NQAS and hospital staff training do not address all the Ten Steps to successful breastfeeding. There is weakness in overall coordination, process of external assessment/award system and monitoring and implementation of the IMS Act,' the report said.
Indian Express
10 hours ago
- Indian Express
Why so many in Gaza are starving and aid is not reaching them
Over the past several weeks, obtaining food in Gaza has become more than difficult, it has become deadly. According to reports, hundreds of Palestinians have been killed while attempting to reach aid sites, many reportedly shot by Israeli forces. Others are dying from severe malnutrition, with Gazan health officials confirming dozens of related deaths. But, how did this hunger get so much worse in Gaza? The crisis intensified in March, when Israel imposed a total blockade on humanitarian aid entering Gaza, aiming to pressure Hamas and citing, without evidence, that the militant group was seizing supplies. The blockade failed to achieve its political goals but amplified hunger across the enclave. In May, under growing international pressure, Israel introduced a new aid distribution system in southern and central Gaza through the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). While the United Nations had previously distributed aid through hundreds of local sites, the GHF established only four centralised hubs — none of which are in northern Gaza. This shift meant Gazans had to walk for hours through active war zones to reach aid, with some routes taking three to four hours on foot, the NYT reported. To prevent supplies from reaching Hamas, Israel placed the GHF sites inside its military-controlled zones. That forced Palestinians to cross active military lines. 'More than 600 people have been killed while trying to reach the new Gaza Humanitarian Foundation sites,' according to the Gazan Health Ministry, as cited by The New York Times. While the GHF denies responsibility for shootings near its sites, it acknowledges that areas beyond its control are 'still an active war zone.' Satellite imagery and witness videos reveal crowds of civilians near Israeli tanks and military checkpoints. Palestinian witnesses claim Israeli soldiers have fired live rounds near aid hubs, and the Israeli military confirmed that 'its forces had opened fire to disperse crowds' or to respond to what it called 'threatening behavior.' An Israeli official admitted that artillery shells had killed civilians near aid sites, calling them 'isolated episodes.' Adding to the chaos, GHF aid sites often open with little notice, and close almost immediately after food runs out. Palestinians line up in the middle of the night, hoping to receive food, only to face violent stampedes or get tear gas thrown by US security contractors, according to videos analysed by NYT. Sometimes, the American security contractors at the sites have thrown tear gas grenades at people crowded into narrow, fenced-in lines with seemingly nowhere to go, as per a report by NYT. One stampede in mid-July killed around 20 people. The GHF claimed 'Hamas-linked instigators' triggered the chaos. Doctors across Gaza report worsening malnutrition, with the World Food Program stating that 'more than one in three people aren't eating for multiple days.' Children have died from starvation, according to Gaza health officials. Some Palestinians are too weak, old, or frightened to risk walking to the aid zones. Many instead buy resold aid in local markets at astronomical prices. The Gaza Chamber of Commerce reports that tomatoes can cost $30/kg, while sugar exceeds $100/kg. After international criticism, Israel resumed aid airdrops, joined by countries like Jordan and the UAE. But experts warn that airdrops are expensive, risky, and insufficient to address the growing crisis. 'Airdrops alone are not the answer,' Britain's foreign ministry wrote on social media on Wednesday. 'Only trucks can deliver at the scale needed,' it added. Previous airdrops have landed in the sea or in Israel, and some have killed civilians.
