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Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Gazans 'wasting away' as mass starvation spreads, humanitarian groups warn
More than 100 international aid organisations and human rights groups are warning of mass starvation in Gaza and pressing for governments to take action. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Save the Children and Oxfam are among the signatories of a joint statement that says their colleagues and the people they serve are "wasting away". Israel, which controls the entry of all supplies into the territory, rejected the organisations' statement and accused them of "serving the propaganda of Hamas". Their warning came as Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry said another 10 Palestinians had died as a result of malnutrition in the last 24 hours. That brings the number of such deaths across Gaza since Sunday to 43, according to the ministry. The UN has reported that hospitals have admitted people in a state of severe exhaustion caused by a lack of food, and that others are collapsing in the streets. Latest updates from Gaza Gaza health ministry says 33 people died from malnutrition in 48 hours Church leaders return with 'broken hearts' after rare visit to Gaza Bowen: Israel's allies see evidence of war crimes in Gaza mounting up The Today Debate: What can stop the war in Gaza "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," the 109 humanitarian organisations said in the statement published on Wednesday. "With supplies now totally depleted, humanitarian organisations are witnessing their own colleagues and partners waste away before their eyes." Israel imposed a total blockade of aid deliveries to Gaza at the start of March and resumed its military offensive against Hamas two weeks later, collapsing a two-month ceasefire. It said it wanted to put pressure on the armed group to release its remaining Israeli hostages. Although the blockade was partially eased after almost two months, amid warnings of a looming famine from global experts, the shortages of food, medicine and fuel have worsened. "Doctors report record rates of acute malnutrition, especially among children and older people. Illnesses like acute watery diarrhoea are spreading, markets are empty, waste is piling up, and adults are collapsing on the streets from hunger and dehydration," the humanitarian organisations warned. "An aid worker providing psychosocial support spoke of the devastating impact on children: 'Children tell their parents they want to go to heaven, because at least heaven has food.'" The World Health Organization (WHO) has said its assessments show that a quarter of the population is facing famine-like conditions, and that almost 100,000 women and children are suffering from severe acute malnutrition and need treatment as soon as possible. Its director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday: "As you know, mass starvation means starvation of a large proportion of a population, and a large proportion of the population of Gaza is starving. "I don't know what you would call it other than mass starvation, and it's man-made. "And that's very clear, this is because of the blockade." Dr Ahmad al-Farra, the head of paediatrics at Nasser hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis, told the BBC that no food had been available for three days. He said children come to his unit going through varying degrees of starvation. Some were malnourished and died in the hospital's care, he added. Others came with separate health issues that prevented nutrients from being absorbed by their bodies. "We were afraid we would reach this critical point - and now we have," he said. The shortages of basic supplies has caused prices at local markets to skyrocket and left most families unable to afford to buy anything. "It's outrageous - prices are on fire," one Gaza resident said. "Every day we need 300 shekels ($90; £66.50) just for flour." The humanitarian organisations also noted that the UN says it has recorded the killing by the Israeli military of more than 1,050 Palestinians trying to get food since 27 May - the day after the controversial aid distribution mechanism run by the Israel- and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) began operating as an alternative to the UN-led mechanism. According to the UN human rights office, 766 people have been killed in the vicinity of the GHF's four aid sites, which are located inside Israeli military zones and operated by US private security contractors. Another 288 people have been killed near UN and other aid convoys. The Israeli military says its troops deployed near the GHF sites have only fired warning shots and that they do not intentionally shoot civilians. The GHF says the UN is using "false and misleading" figures from Gaza's health ministry. The humanitarian organisations also said almost all of Gaza's population has been displaced and is now confined to less than 12% of the territory not covered by Israeli evacuation orders or within Israeli militarised zones, making aid operations untenable. And they said an average of only 28 lorry loads of aid is being distributed in Gaza each day. "Just outside Gaza, in warehouses - and even within Gaza itself - tons of food, clean water, medical supplies, shelter items and fuel sit untouched with humanitarian organisations blocked from accessing or delivering them." The UN says Israel, as the occupying power, has an obligation under international law to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches all the population in need. Israel insists it acts in accordance with international law and facilitates the entry of aid while ensuring it does not reach Hamas. It has acknowledged recently that there has been a significant drop in supplies reaching Palestinians but blamed UN agencies. Israeli military body Cogat, which co-ordinates the entry of aid into Gaza, wrote on X on Monday that almost 4,500 lorry loads had entered Gaza over the past two months, including 2,500 tonnes of baby food and high-calorie special food for children. It also published drone footage showing what it said was some of the 950 lorry loads of aid waiting to be collected by the UN and other international organisations on the Gazan side of the Kerem Shalom and Zikim crossings. "The collection bottleneck remains the main obstacle to maintaining a consistent flow of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip," Cogat said. The UN has repeatedly said it struggles to get the necessary Israeli authorisation to collect incoming supplies with Gazan drivers from inside the crossing points and transport it through military zones. The ongoing hostilities, badly damaged roads, and severe fuel shortages have exacerbated problems. Criminal looting by armed gangs has also sometimes stopped operations. The UN has said a major problem in recent weeks has been that it is struggling to get commitments from the Israeli military that desperate Palestinians will not be killed while trying to collect aid from its convoys. UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told a briefing on Tuesday: "In too many cases where UN teams are permitted by Israel to collect supplies from closed compounds near Gaza's crossings, civilians approaching these trucks come under fire despite repeated assurances that troops would not engage or be present." "This unacceptable pattern is the opposite of what facilitating humanitarian operations should look like. Absolutely no one should have to risk their lives to get food." The humanitarian organisations said it is time for governments to "take decisive action". "Demand an immediate and permanent ceasefire; lift all bureaucratic and administrative restrictions; open all land crossings; ensure access to everyone in all of Gaza; reject military-controlled distribution models; restore a principled, UN-led humanitarian response and continue to fund principled and impartial humanitarian organisations." "States must pursue concrete measures to end the siege, such as halting the transfer of weapons and ammunition," they added. Israel's foreign ministry said it categorically rejected the statement, accusing the organisations of "using Hamas's talking points". "These organisations are serving the propaganda of Hamas, using their numbers and justifying their horrors," it added. "Instead of challenging the terror organisation, they embrace it as their own." The ministry also claimed that they were "harming the chances" of a new ceasefire and hostage release deal, which Israel and Hamas are negotiating at indirect talks in Qatar. The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage. At least 59,219 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.
Daily Mail
a day 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
a day 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
a day 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
a day 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.'
