The World Health Organization announced an increase in deaths caused by hunger in Gaza, noting that “99 Palestinians, including 29 children under the age of five, have died since the beginning of this year due to malnutrition” caused by Israeli starvation. This was reported by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Thursday during a press briefing at the organization’s headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Ghebreyesus added that these numbers are likely lower than the actual figures. Deaths, especially among infants, continue due to the ongoing Israeli siege on Gaza, systematic starvation, prevention of humanitarian and food aid entry, and shortages of food and medicine. Starvation in Gaza has worsened, with malnutrition death tolls rising since October 2023 to 197, including 96 children, according to statistics published by the Palestinian Ministry of Health on Thursday.

UN agencies and local organizations warn that the continued siege and aid blockade threaten mass child deaths amid deteriorating health and living conditions and the collapse of the entire medical system. Ghebreyesus pointed out that Palestinians in Gaza have been subjected to Israeli bombardment for nearly two years, with limited access to basic services and facing repeated displacement risks. He confirmed that Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are under a strict Israeli siege preventing access to food sources, stating “malnutrition is widespread in Gaza, and deaths due to hunger are increasing.” In July, about 12,000 children under five suffered from severe malnutrition in Gaza, the highest monthly figure recorded so far. Since the beginning of this year, 99 people have died from malnutrition, including 29 children under five. The announced figures likely do not reflect the full scale of the disaster.

Ghebreyesus also noted that severe overcrowding and deteriorating water, sanitation, and hygiene conditions in Gaza contribute to disease spread, posing a major concern. WHO has helped evacuate 7,522 patients from Gaza since October 2023, without further details. However, more than 14,800 patients urgently need medical care in Gaza. People are dying not only from hunger and disease but also while desperately seeking food. Since May 27, more than 1,600 people have been killed and about 12,000 injured while trying to collect food from distribution points. Since June 25, WHO has sent 68 trucks loaded with medical supplies to Gaza, but this represents only a small fraction of actual needs. Hospitals still partially operating in Gaza are overcrowded and suffer from severe shortages of basic supplies. Ghebreyesus concluded by emphasizing the need to end the ongoing siege, provide larger amounts of aid to rebuild vital stocks, and above all, called for a ceasefire and lasting peace.

Despite aid trucks piling up at Gaza’s entrances, Israel continues to block their entry or control distribution outside UN supervision in very limited quantities, described by UN and international reports as “a drop in the ocean.” Since March 2, Israel has avoided continuing the implementation of a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement with Hamas, closing Gaza crossings to aid trucks piled up at the border. Since October 7, 2023, Israel, with US support, has committed genocide in Gaza including killing, starving, destroying, and displacing, ignoring international calls and International Court of Justice orders to stop. The genocide has resulted in 61,258 Palestinian deaths, 152,045 injuries, mostly children and women, over 9,000 missing, and hundreds of thousands displaced with famine claiming many lives.