UN warns of child starvation in blockaded Gaza
At least 66,000 children in Gaza are suffering from severe malnutrition following Israel’s two-month blockade on food and humanitarian assistance, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) reported on May 6th.
UNRWA spokesperson Adnan Abu Hasna spoke to Al-Ghad TV and reiterated the alarming figures, warning of the scale of hunger among children. Abu Hasna described the dire situation, saying “hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are eating one meal every two or three days.”
Medical sources have confirmed at least 57 deaths linked to starvation since October 2023, with the toll expected to rise as Israel continues to close Gaza’s border crossings, according to Middle East Eye.
Since March 2nd, all routes for food, medical supplies, and aid have been sealed off, exacerbating what aid agencies describe as a spiralling humanitarian catastrophe. According to World Bank data, about 91 per cent of Gaza’s population (1.84 million people) across the Gaza Strip are experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity.
Efforts to re-establish aid flows have been complicated by Israel’s recent plan to outsource deliveries to private contractors, a move condemned by the UN’s humanitarian team. The team says the Israeli plan “pushes civilians into military zones” and violates fundamental humanitarian principles.
A spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres reported that the proposal would leave “large parts of Gaza…less mobile and (the) most vulnerable” without lifesaving supplies.
Meanwhile, the death toll in Gaza continues to rise. Since October 7th, at least 52,567 Palestinians—mostly women and children—have been killed, with many more feared trapped beneath rubble.
In the U.S., a group of six senators—including five Democrats and Independent Bernie Sanders—have urged an investigation into whether Israel and other governments are breaching American laws by obstructing aid.
The senators wrote and referenced the Foreign Assistance Act and the Leahy Laws, which prohibit U.S. support to countries violating human rights and blocking humanitarian relief, according to a letter seen by Reuters.
As international concern mounts, Israel’s cabinet on May 5th approved plans for an expanded military operation in Gaza, including possible full territorial control, raising fresh fears for civilians already at breaking point.
Middle East Eye/ Levantis.me/ Reuters/ Al-Ghad TV/ UNRWA
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