 "Is Israel starving Gaza’s children? Are we looking at a man-made famine?")
Gaza is currently in the grip of a rapidly worsening hunger crisis, with multiple independent reports confirming that severe malnutrition and starvation are claiming lives — particularly of children.
Aid organisations, global leaders, and UN agencies are now issuing urgent appeals for immediate international action to halt the growing catastrophe, while also raising concerns about deliberate interference with humanitarian operations.
Over the past few weeks, at least 21 children have reportedly died from starvation-related conditions, according to Mohammed Abu Salmiya, head of Gaza’s Al-Shifa Hospital.
These deaths occurred in several medical facilities across Gaza, including Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir el-Balah and Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis.
Gaza’s Health Ministry has also stated that more than 100 individuals, mostly children, have died while exhibiting signs of hunger and malnutrition — though the exact cause of each death was not individually confirmed.
The crisis, which escalated significantly following a full blockade imposed by Israel in March, has now reached what humanitarian experts are calling “unprecedented levels.”
According to Carl Skau, deputy director of the World Food Program, the situation in Gaza City alone is “the worst” he has ever seen.
What is contributing to the crisis in Gaza
The blockade on Gaza, imposed by Israel following the collapse of ceasefire talks in March, cut off all humanitarian aid for nearly two months.
Though some aid shipments resumed in late May, multiple aid organizations say the flow remains dangerously limited.
Ross Smith, emergency director for the World Food Program, reported that nearly 100,000 women and children are currently suffering from severe acute malnutrition, and approximately one-third of Gaza’s entire population is going days without food.
Gaza’s local food production was largely destroyed early in the war, and with over 2 million residents dependent almost entirely on external aid, the blockade has crippled their access to essential supplies.
According to aid groups, food, clean water and medical equipment are being stockpiled near Gaza’s border but remain undelivered due to what they describe as Israeli-imposed delays and restrictions.
In a joint statement released by 111 humanitarian organisations, including Mercy Corps, the Norwegian Refugee Council, and Refugees International, the groups called for immediate steps to end what they described as a siege resulting in mass starvation.
The statement read: “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. With supplies now totally depleted, humanitarian organisations are witnessing their own colleagues and partners waste away before their eyes.”
The organizations asserted: “The Government of Israel’s restrictions, delays, and fragmentation under its total siege have created chaos, starvation, and death.”
Their demands include the lifting of all administrative barriers, the opening of all land crossings, an end to military-controlled aid distribution, and a return to a UN-led humanitarian response.
They also urged states to consider measures such as halting arms transfers to Israel.
What is the controversy over aid access
Amid the worsening food crisis, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) — a private organisation operating under Israeli military coordination — has taken over large portions of the aid distribution system.
Since its launch on May 26, GHF has distributed more than 1.4 million food packages. However, its presence has been highly controversial.
GHF operates four humanitarian hubs across Gaza. The UN and leading aid groups have refused to cooperate with the organisation, citing fears that its design and operations prioritise Israeli military objectives and violate humanitarian norms.
As a result, GHF’s aid hubs have become flashpoints of violence and desperation.
According to the UN human rights office, over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed while attempting to obtain food, with 766 of those deaths occurring near GHF sites, and an additional 288 reported near UN and other aid convoys.
Thameen Al-Kheetan, spokesperson for the UN human rights office, told AFP, “As of July 21, we have recorded 1,054 people killed in Gaza while trying to get food; 766 of them were killed in the vicinity of GHF sites and 288 near UN and other humanitarian organisations’ aid convoys.”
Photos and testimonies from inside Gaza show children suffering from severe wasting, dehydration, and signs of acute anemia.
Infants have reportedly died of hunger in recent weeks. On July 21, Gaza’s civil defence agency confirmed that three infants had died of severe malnutrition the previous week alone.
How Gaza is dealing with the situation
Gaza’s already fragile healthcare system has been pushed to the point of collapse. Hospitals, overwhelmed by casualties from gunfire and bombing, are unable to cope with the added burden of patients suffering from hunger-related complications.
Khalil al-Deqran, spokesperson for Gaza’s Health Ministry, reported that 600,000 people in the enclave are now showing symptoms of malnutrition, including 60,000 pregnant women.
Abu Salmiya confirmed that new cases of hunger and malnutrition were being admitted “every moment” to Gaza’s few remaining functioning hospitals.
He warned, “We are heading towards alarming numbers of deaths due to the starvation inflicted on the people of Gaza.”
The UN human rights office added, “Many people were arriving at Gaza’s hospitals in a state of severe exhaustion caused by a lack of food. Others are collapsing in the streets. Many more may be dying unreported… These deaths and the horrendous physical and psychological suffering caused by hunger are the result of Israel’s interference with and militarization of humanitarian assistance.”
Is it a man-made famine in Gaza?
Determining whether Gaza is experiencing famine is a technical process governed by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).
According to IPC standards, an area qualifies as being in famine when at least two of three key criteria are met:
At least 20 per cent of households face an extreme lack of food.
A minimum of 30 per cent of children aged six months to five years are acutely malnourished.
Two adults or four children per 10,000 people die daily due to starvation or related illness.
While no official famine declaration has been issued for Gaza, experts note that the necessary data is difficult to collect due to Israeli restrictions on access.
The IPC has stated that famine declarations often come too late — only after a large number of deaths has already occurred.
Global calls for a ceasefire
Growing international outrage has prompted action from global leaders. On Monday, the governments of 25 countries, including Canada, France, Australia, and UK, issued a joint statement demanding an immediate ceasefire, the unconditional release of Israeli hostages, and unrestricted humanitarian access.
They accused Israel of the “drip feeding of aid” and the “inhumane killing of civilians, including children.”
The statement also criticised the GHF distribution model, which is supported by the US under the Trump administration, but has not received endorsement from other governments or international relief organisations.
The US government announced $30 million in funding for GHF earlier this month and urged others to support it, stating that it was the only method of delivering aid without risk of Hamas diversion.
However, GHF has not disclosed any information regarding its management or links to any government, despite repeated media inquiries.
As the siege continues, conditions for Gaza’s population, particularly children, deteriorate daily.
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