Children Dying of Hunger in Gaza: 100 Aid Organizations Sound Alarm Amid Blocked Aid

More than 100 aid organizations issued a warning on Wednesday that “mass starvation” is escalating in Gaza, just ahead of the US top envoy’s scheduled visit to Europe for discussions on a possible ceasefire and aid corridor.

Israel is under growing international scrutiny over the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where more than two million residents are suffering from severe shortages of food and essential supplies after 21 months of conflict, which began with Hamas’s attack on Israel.

According to the United Nations on Tuesday, Israeli forces have killed over 1,000 Palestinians who were attempting to access food aid since the launch of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in late May — a US- and Israel-backed initiative that has effectively sidelined the previously established UN-led aid system.

In a joint statement signed by 111 humanitarian organizations, including Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Save the Children, and Oxfam, the groups stated, “our colleagues and those we serve are wasting away.”

The organizations called for an immediate, negotiated ceasefire, the reopening of all land crossings, and the unrestricted delivery of aid through UN-coordinated systems.

The statement noted that warehouses stocked with tonnes of supplies remain untouched, both inside Gaza and just outside its borders, due to blocked access preventing distribution.

“Palestinians are trapped in a cycle of hope and heartbreak, waiting for assistance and ceasefires, only to wake up to worsening conditions,” the statement read.

“This is not just a physical ordeal, but a psychological one. Survival is dangled like a mirage,” the groups added.

“The humanitarian system cannot function on false promises. Humanitarians cannot operate on shifting timelines or wait for political commitments that fail to ensure access.”

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Tuesday that the “horror” being endured by Palestinians in Gaza under Israeli military assault is unmatched in recent years.

The director of Gaza’s largest hospital reported on Tuesday that 21 children have died from malnutrition and starvation in the past three days.

Earlier, the US announced that envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Europe this week for Gaza-related talks and may later visit the Middle East. State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said Witkoff aims to help secure a new ceasefire and establish a humanitarian corridor agreed upon by both sides.

Despite Israel easing a two-month aid blockade in late May, Gaza’s population continues to face severe shortages. Israel claims it is allowing aid in and accuses Hamas of worsening civilian suffering by stealing and reselling aid or attacking those waiting for food.

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