GAZA, (Palestine Foundation Information Center) The death toll from starvation in Gaza has risen to 122, including 83 children, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, as the humanitarian crisis deepens under the ongoing Israeli siege.
Nine more Palestinians died of starvation and malnutrition in the past 24 hours, the ministry reported Friday. Government officials described the situation as a “systematic crime of starvation” perpetrated by the Israeli occupation army against more than 2.4 million besieged civilians over the past 145 days.
The Gaza Government Media Office (GMO) called for an immediate end to the famine and demanded the urgent entry of humanitarian aid, including baby formula, 500 aid trucks, and 50 fuel trucks daily, to prevent further loss of life.
The GMO urged the international community to form an independent commission to investigate Israel’s use of starvation as a weapon and prosecute those responsible.
Amnesty International reiterated its accusation that Israel is using starvation as a tool of genocide. In a statement, the organization said Israel is deliberately starving Palestinians and obstructing aid, turning humanitarian assistance into a weapon of war.
The World Health Organization also warned of a potential surge in deaths. WHO regional director Hanan Balkhi told Al Jazeera that nearly 2.1 million people in Gaza are facing starvation. She added that 20% of pregnant women are suffering from hunger, and there are no fully functioning hospitals left in the Strip.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel, backed by the US, has waged a genocidal war on Gaza, killing or wounding over 203,000 Palestinians, displacing hundreds of thousands, and leaving more than 11,000 missing.
