UN accuses Israel of starving Gaza civilians as hunger deaths mount
By bellecarter // 2025-07-23
 
  • The UN accuses Israel of systematically blocking food and medicine deliveries to Gaza, causing a "man-made" crisis where civilians, including one million children, face starvation despite nearby stockpiles.
  • At least 71 children have died from malnutrition since October, with 60,000 more showing starvation symptoms. Infants and pregnant women are particularly vulnerable, with reports of deaths due to lack of food and medical care.
  • Palestinians seeking aid face gunfire at militarized distribution sites. Nearly 900 Palestinians have been killed at these sites since late May, while Israel bars UN agencies like UNRWA from delivering stockpiled supplies.
  • Overwhelmed hospitals report malnourished mothers giving birth prematurely, wounds failing to heal and up to five infants sharing a single incubator. Doctors warn of catastrophic outcomes if food is not allowed in.
  • The ICC has issued arrest warrants for Israeli leaders over alleged war crimes and South Africa has brought a genocide case against Israel. Despite international outrage, Israel's siege continues, exacerbating collective punishment.
The United Nations has accused Israel of deliberately starving civilians in Gaza, including one million children, by blocking food and medicine deliveries, while warehouses just kilometers away hold ample stock. As malnutrition-related deaths rise, particularly among infants and pregnant women, UN agencies warn the crisis is entirely "man-made" and could be halted immediately if Israel lifted its siege. Meanwhile, Palestinians scrambling for aid report being shot at militarized distribution sites. Palestinian health authorities report that at least 71 children have died from malnutrition since October, with 60,000 more showing symptoms of starvation. Over the past week alone, Gaza's civil defense agency documented at least three infant deaths from lack of food and medicine, signaling a grim new phase in the humanitarian collapse. "The heartbreaking cases were not caused by direct bombing but by starvation, the lack of baby formula and the absence of basic healthcare," said Mahmud Bassal, a Gaza civil defense spokesperson. Displaced father Ziad Musleh told AFP: "Our children cry and scream for food. They go to sleep in pain, in hunger, with empty stomachs. There is absolutely no food." The World Food Programme (WFP) describes Gaza as facing the worst hunger crisis it has ever recorded, with nearly one-third of the enclave's population enduring days-long food gaps. Meanwhile, the UN Office for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) condemned Israel's blockade as "unconscionable," noting that families foraging for food face gunfire. (Related: From Famine to Farce: Gaza's 'Humanitarian' War Ensnares the World in Moral Quicksand.)

International condemnation against Israel's systematic denial of aid grows

Despite international law requiring civilian access to humanitarian aid, Israel has barred the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) from delivering food into Gaza since March 2, even as the agency reports stockpiles sufficient for three months sit unused nearby. "Food is available just a few kilometers away," said UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini. "Lift the siege: allow UNRWA to bring in food and medicines." Instead, aid convoys have been bombed and militarized distribution sites run by the U.S.- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) have turned lethal. Nearly 900 Palestinians have been killed at GHF sites since late May, according to health officials. Medical Relief in Gaza director Mohammed Abu Afash told Al Jazeera: "Hunger is affecting everyone. The coming days could be catastrophic if food is not allowed in." Doctors Without Borders (MSF) confirmed neonatal units are overwhelmed, with malnourished mothers giving birth prematurely and up to five infants sharing a single incubator. Protein deficiencies have left wounds unhealed and infections prolonged, compounding Gaza's collapsed healthcare system. The scale of the crisis has drawn global condemnation. Last year, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his defense minister for alleged war crimes. South Africa has also brought a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice. Yet the starvation toll continues rising – 18 Palestinians died from hunger in just the last 24 hours, per Gaza's Health Ministry. As UN agencies decry Gaza's "man-made" famine, Israel's blockade remains intact, exacerbating what experts call a deliberate strategy of collective punishment. With millions of lives at stake, calls for immediate intervention grow louder – but for now, Palestinian civilians, especially children, remain trapped in an unrelenting cycle of deprivation and despair. Watch the video below that talks about massive starvation in Gaza. This video is from The Prisoner channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Israeli strikes kill 88 Palestinians in 24 hours as Gaza faces catastrophic hunger crisis. Gaza food hubs are being used to carry out WAR CRIMES: Nearly 800 Palestinians DEAD from Israeli death traps. UN official: Gaza's humanitarian collapse pushing civilians "back to pre-civilization" amid Israeli campaign. Sources include: MiddleEastEye.net YeniSafak.com Brighteon.com