6 dead from starvation, 80 killed in shelling in 24 hours: Gaza disaster deepens
4 August 09:50
The Gaza Strip is experiencing a critical humanitarian crisis after almost two years of war, which began with Hamas’ attack on Israel in October 2023. According to the local Ministry of Health, six more people died of starvation and malnutrition in the last 24 hours. This raised the total number of famine victims to 175 people, including 93 children, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports with reference to Reuters.
In addition, according to Palestinian medics, Israeli air strikes and shelling killed at least 80 people across the enclave on Sunday. Among the dead were people trying to get to aid distribution points, as well as an employee of the Palestinian Red Cross Society.
At the same time, a video published by Hamas in which an exhausted Israeli prisoner of war is allegedly digging his own grave has gained a great deal of traction. According to Israeli officials, about 50 people remain hostage to Hamas, but presumably only about 20 of them are alive.
Humanitarian aid
Over the past week, more than 23 thousand tons of humanitarian aid arrived in Gaza in 1200 trucks. However, hundreds of these trucks have not yet been delivered to distribution points due to difficulties in coordination between international organizations and local structures.
Looting of the trucks by desperate displaced persons and armed groups has become a serious problem. Witnesses report that many of the nearly 1,600 trucks that arrived after Israeli restrictions were eased in late July were looted en route to their destinations.
International efforts to deliver aid have included air drops. Belgium has launched a series of humanitarian drop operations in cooperation with Jordan, and France has already delivered 40 tons of aid by air. However, UN agencies emphasize that airdrops are insufficient to meet the needs of 2.2 million people.
Israel has announced steps to increase aid to the population in response to international pressure. This includes suspending hostilities for part of the day in some areas, approving air drops, and announcing protected routes for aid convoys.
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Fuel crisis
The fuel crisis is seriously disrupting critical infrastructure in the enclave. Hospitals are forced to limit their work, focusing only on treating the most serious patients due to a lack of fuel for generators and medical equipment. This creates additional threats to the lives of civilians.
Israel has allowed a limited amount of fuel to enter Gaza through the coordinating agency COGAT. Four UN fuel tankers entered the enclave to ensure the operation of hospitals, bakeries and other vital services. Egyptian sources report additional supplies of 107 tons of diesel fuel.
The war continues
The conflict, which began with a Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, when more than 1,200 Israelis were killed, has turned into a protracted war. According to Gaza’s health authorities, Israeli air and ground operations in the densely populated enclave have claimed the lives of more than 60,000 Palestinians.
The international community is calling for an immediate increase in humanitarian access and an end to the violence. The majority of Gaza’s population remains displaced amidst the rubble, and the situation continues to deteriorate with limited access to basic survival needs.
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