In the last 24 hours, at least three people have starved to death in Gaza as the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate.
Three-year-old Ahmed Wael Ahl died of hunger and dehydration, as did a 15-year-old child in Al-Shifa Medical Complex, the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor said,
A 72-year-old man died from malnutrition and dehydration in Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, it added.
The rights group warned the number of deaths was showing a “notable increase” among children and the elderly.
As of last night, the official number of hunger and malnutrition related deaths in Gaza stood at 20, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run enclave.
However, the organisation said the figure only accounted for the fatalities that occur inside hospitals, all of which are partially operational and difficult to reach due to road destruction and fuel shortages.
“The truly tragic situation lies within the remaining destroyed neighbourhoods throughout the Gaza Strip, where tens of thousands of people live in extremely harsh conditions due to unprecedented levels of famine,” it said.
“These people risk their lives with every attempt to travel to Israeli checkpoints, where aid trucks sporadically arrive, given that Israeli army forces have deliberately and repeatedly targeted those trying to secure aid for themselves and their families.
“Starving individuals are also risking their lives by going to agricultural lands in dangerous border areas in an attempt to obtain some of the remaining crops.”
UN representatives have accused Israel of destroying Gaza’s food system as part of a broader “starvation campaign”, and some have suggested people trying to fish have been fired on.
The situation has become an issue on global attention with several countries including the UK, US and the UAE increasing efforts to get aid into Gaza.
As we have been reporting throughout the day, countries have committed to creating a maritime corridor to assist and the US has said it will build a temporary port for deliveries – you can read more about this in our earlier posts.
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