Israel began its aggressive attacks on Gaza on October 7, 2023. As the aggression approaches two years, Israel continues to severely restrict the entry of aid supplies and food into Gaza. As a result, the number of people martyred due to starvation in Gaza is increasing day by day. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, as of August 17, 263 people have been martyred in Gaza due to starvation, including 112 children.
Why is there not enough food for Gaza’s residents?
From March to mid-May this year, Israel completely blocked all routes to prevent any aid from entering Gaza. Consequently, no food, water, or humanitarian aid could enter the area at all. This led to a near-total depletion of food supplies in Gaza. Additionally, Gaza residents who lost their homes and were impoverished due to Israeli aggression faced increased hunger and dehydration. On August 14, over 100 aid organizations, including Oxfam, Doctors Without Borders, Amnesty International, and the Norwegian Refugee Council, strongly condemned Israel’s use of food as a weapon. These organizations highlighted that Israel is obstructing the entry of supplies that could save many lives. A large amount of aid supplies are are still ready and waiting in warehouses in Jordan and Egypt. Despite the availability of supplies in warehouses, Gaza’s residents remain hungry.
On August 18, Amnesty International accused Israel of deliberately and systematically starving Palestinians. The organization stated that Israel’s aim is to harm the health and well-being of Gaza’s residents and destroy Palestinian social fabric. “This is the intended outcome of Israel’s designed and implemented plan. The goal of Israel’s actions over the past 22 months has been to harm, impoverish, and physically destroy the Palestinian people,” the organization said.
Since Israel’s blockade of Gaza in 2007, the area has been forced to rely on aid supplies. Before October 7, about 500 truckloads of supplies entered Gaza daily, approximately 15,000 trucks per month. However, since the aggression began, the amount of aid entering Gaza has drastically decreased. With 2.3 million residents in Gaza, the current level of aid entering is nowhere near what is needed to meet the population’s needs.
At what point does malnutrition become life-threatening?
The human body relies on glucose from food for survival. When food becomes scarce, the body first uses stored fat to maintain heart function. However, if hunger persists, organs eventually stop functioning, endangering life. Prolonged malnutrition due to lack of essential nutrients can lead to “brain fog,” slowing cognitive functions and making tasks like speaking difficult. This affects normal daily life. Malnutrition is most dangerous for children. With less stored fat in their bodies, the effects of hunger on their growing bodies and organs occur much faster.
The 1,000 days from conception to a child’s second birthday are crucial for development. Malnutrition during this period, in particular, can cause permanent damage to children’s intelligence and physical growth. Without specialized care in this condition, death is very likely. Due to months of food shortages in Gaza, images of emaciated, skeletal children are becoming more frequent. When measuring children’s arm circumference with special MUAC tape, the measurements fall in the red zone. A measurement below 11.5 centimeters indicates severe malnutrition. These children need immediate emergency treatment. Without prompt treatment, they are at high risk of death.
In addition to visible extreme thinness, malnourished children show other symptoms. These include sunken eyes, peeling skin, hair loss, and abnormal abdominal swelling. The swelling occurs due to fluid retention caused by lack of protein in the body.
What is considered a general famine?
General famine is the most extreme level of hunger. In this state, food is extremely scarce, and malnutrition is widespread throughout the community. Many people die due to hunger in this condition. Assessing Gaza’s situation is difficult due to access restrictions. Additionally, Israel has destroyed almost all health centers and hospitals in Gaza. According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a general famine is considered to exist when 20% of households face extreme difficulty accessing food, 30% of the population experiences the worst levels of malnutrition, and two out of every 10,000 people die daily due to hunger.
