Hunger Crisis Worsens, Hospitals Overwhelmed
Extreme hunger continues to escalate across Gaza. The health ministry warned that many people are arriving at its centres in a severely weakened state, and hundreds are at risk of death due to starvation. In the past 24 hours alone, the ministry reported 18 deaths attributed to famine. The UN has echoed concerns, stating that civilians in Gaza are facing starvation and urgently need more essential supplies.
Shifa Hospital in Gaza City received many of the wounded from the incident. The medical director, Dr. Hassan al-Shaer, described the hospital as overwhelmed by the volume of casualties. One woman outside the facility described a desperate situation where "children are dying of hunger" and people are surviving on "just water and salt."
Gaza's civil defence agency reported an updated toll of 93 people killed across Gaza on Sunday by Israeli fire. Of these, 80 died in northern Gaza, nine near an aid point in Rafah, and four near another in Khan Younis.
Evacuation Orders and Fears of Further Attacks
Amid ongoing air strikes, the Israeli military issued new evacuation orders for parts of central Gaza, including the city of Deir al-Balah. Residents were told to move to al-Mawasi on the coast, sparking panic among thousands of displaced Palestinians and concern from families of Israeli hostages believed to be held in the area.
Leaflets were dropped by air over southwest Deir al-Balah, directing people to flee. The military stated its goal is to dismantle Hamas's operational capabilities in the region, although ground forces have not yet entered these districts. Israeli sources indicated that the potential hostage presence may be the reason for the military's hesitation to advance on the area.
The affected neighbourhoods are densely packed with people already displaced by previous evacuation orders, and the new instructions are worsening their already dire circumstances.
Meanwhile, the World Food Programme condemned the violence against aid seekers, calling the situation "completely unacceptable." It reported that 90,000 women and children in Gaza urgently need treatment for malnutrition, with nearly one in three people not eating for days.
Over recent weeks, dozens of Palestinians have reportedly been killed while trying to collect aid. Some of these incidents occurred near sites run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which operates from Israeli-controlled areas, while others were at UN aid distribution points.
Pope Leo XIV has called for an immediate end to the war, urging restraint and denouncing the indiscriminate use of force. His plea follows a deadly Israeli airstrike on Gaza's only Catholic Church, an event Israel has expressed deep regret over.
Israel's military campaign began in response to Hamas-led attacks on 7 October 2023, which killed around 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages being taken. Since then, over 58,895 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the health ministry there. These figures are widely cited by international organisations as the most reliable available.
