The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza worsened on Wednesday as the Hamas-run health ministry reported seven more deaths from malnutrition, raising the total to 154 deaths since the war began in 2023 — including 89 children.
The update comes just 24 hours after UN-backed food security experts declared that the worst-case famine scenario is “currently playing out” in the besieged Palestinian territory.
Despite Israeli claims that no restrictions are being imposed on humanitarian aid, UN agencies and European allies continue to challenge those assertions, citing severe shortages of food, medicine, and fuel.
🇺🇸 US Diplomatic Visit Amid Aid Crisis
US special envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to visit Israel on Thursday to address the humanitarian crisis. This marks his first visit in nearly three months, following a breakdown in Gaza ceasefire talks in Qatar. Washington has accused Hamas of negotiating in bad faith.
⚠️ Violence Near Aid Centers
Meanwhile, six Palestinians were reportedly killed near a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) aid distribution site in Rafah early Wednesday.
Sources told the BBC that the deaths occurred after crowds attempted to breach the aid site before its scheduled opening and were allegedly targeted by an Israeli tank.
However, the GHF denied any killings occurred near its facilities. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) acknowledged the presence of a crowd but said they only fired “warning shots” hundreds of meters from the center, adding that the reported death toll does not match IDF records.
📉 Aid Blockades, Looting, and Chaos
Only 109 aid trucks entered Gaza on Tuesday — a far cry from the 600 trucks per day the UN says are needed to begin easing the crisis. Most of the trucks were looted shortly after crossing the border, as desperate crowds scrambled for food.
Scenes of chaos, where vehicles carrying flour are overrun, have become tragically common. Some individuals attempt to feed their families; others seize the goods to sell them.
🧨 Ongoing Israeli Offensive
Israel imposed a total blockade in early March and resumed full-scale military operations weeks later, ending a two-month ceasefire in an attempt to pressure Hamas to release hostages.
Though the blockade has since been partially eased, conditions continue to deteriorate.
According to the Hamas-run ministry, 103 people died in the last 24 hours, including 60 who were seeking aid, and one body was recovered from rubble.
Since October 7, 2023 — when Hamas launched a deadly assault on southern Israel that killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages — the Gaza Health Ministry says over 60,138 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli operations.
🇬🇧 UK-Palestine Diplomatic Tensions
In a separate development, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s recent pledge to recognize a Palestinian state by September has drawn strong backlash from Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the statement a reward for “Hamas’ monstrous terrorism.” British-Israeli hostage Emily Damari, released in January after 15 months in captivity, accused Starmer of “standing on the wrong side of history.”
📢 Humanitarian Urgency
As aid dwindles and violence surges, international pressure continues to mount on all parties to restore ceasefire talks and expand humanitarian access before the famine claims even more lives in Gaza.
