At least five people, including one child, have died of malnutrition in Gaza over the past 24 hours, the Palestinian health ministry said Wednesday.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as of September 5, at least 361 Palestinians have died due to malnutrition, including 130 children, since October 2023.
“Starvation and malnutrition in Gaza are at the highest levels ever since the conflict (between Israel and Hamas) began almost two years ago. Deliberate blocking and delay of large-scale food, health, and humanitarian aid has cost many lives,” WHO said in a statement on Wednesday.
“After 22 months of relentless conflict, over half a million people in the Gaza Strip are facing catastrophic conditions characterized by starvation, destitution and death,” WHO added.
According to a report by a United Nations-backed initiative in August, parts of Gaza are officially experiencing a “man-made” famine.
Israel has previously blamed Hamas for its decision to halt aid shipments, alleging the militant group was stealing supplies and profiting from it. Hamas has denied this allegation.
Israel has said it is allowing ample aid into the besieged Palestinian territory, but aid agencies and multiple Western nations say the amount of food reaching Gaza’s population under strict Israeli control is a fraction of what is needed.
