In the past 24 hours, an additional 40 people have been martyred in Gaza, Palestine. Health authorities in Gaza stated that among the deceased were individuals who were attempting to obtain aid supplies. As humanitarian organizations continue to warn of widespread famine spreading in Gaza, five more people have been martyred due to starvation in the last 24 hours. This brings the total number of people martyred due to starvation in Gaza over the past weeks to 180, including 93 children. People seeking aid supplies were martyred near distribution centers of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an organization with ties to Israel and the United States. Attacks on Gaza’s residents occurred near such centers in southern Gaza and central Gaza. Additionally, 13 Palestinians waiting for UN aid trucks near the Israeli border were also martyred.
The UN reported that since GHF began operations in Gaza in late May, over 1,000 Gaza residents have been martyred by Israelis near aid distribution centers or while attempting to obtain aid supplies. As the hunger situation in Gaza reaches critical levels, photos and videos of malnourished children in Gaza are rapidly circulating on social media. Consequently Consequently, international pressure on Israel has increased, forcing them to allow more aid supplies into Gaza. Last week, Israel announced pauses in attacks at specific times and in certain areas to allow aid deliveries. In this situation, some Western and Arab countries have been airdropping food supplies to Gaza.
However, aid organizations question whether providing aid in this manner will offer a safe and adequate solution to Gaza’s hunger crisis. UNICEF has stated that aid must be brought into Gaza through every available route in this situation. However, the agency notes that the results achieved through land-based aid deliveries cannot be replicated solely through airdropping food supplies.
Palestinians and aid agencies continue to stress the crucial need for at least 600 truckloads of supplies to enter Gaza daily to meet the needs of its residents. This was the volume of supplies entering Gaza before Israel began its massacre on October 7. However, the total number of trucks that have entered Gaza during the opportunity provided by Israel to deliver aid in late July is only 600. Many of these trucks have been looted by some desperate Gaza residents and armed groups. The total number of people martyred by Israel in Gaza since the aggression began has reached 60,000.
