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Gaza is in the grip of a devastating hunger crisis. A United Nations-endorsed report in April had warned that one in five people in Gaza were at risk of starvation and that the territory was on the brink of famine. The situation has only deteriorated since then. Shadi is just one of countless who have died in recent weeks trying to find food, according to local health authorities.
Blockade Eased, but Help Is Still Not Enough
Israel slightly eased its 11-week full blockade of Gaza in late May. But humanitarian agencies say the aid delivery that has been permitted remains far below what is needed. Caution that in the absence of urgent and massive humanitarian access, Gaza could slide into full famine, with potentially catastrophic consequences.
Only certain UN agencies and NGOs have been allowed to deliver a limited amount of supplies – some food, medical supplies, and water purification materials. Shelter materials, hygiene items, and essential medical equipment are among goods that remain blocked. At the same time, the price of simple goods has soared: a bag of flour, he said, is now 300 to 500 times more expensive.
Distributing aid The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an American and Israeli-financed aid scheme, has been set up to distribute aid. But it has been criticized by international agencies as ineffective. At least 300 people have been killed in or near GHF distribution points in active combat zones, according to reports.
Attention Turns to Iran-Israel Conflict, Gazans Left to Feel Abandoned
And amid the escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, many in Gaza worry that they are being forgotten. "For the most part, nothing can reach Gaza," local resident Mohammad told BBC News.venes of water and when some agglomerations of both water and entozoa were cut across, these the intestine rolled about but where the tape I must be regarded as complimentary. “People go every day to try and get food and aid, and they end up being carried in body bags,” he said.
Others, such as Umm Mustafa, express the same fear, insisting that Gaza has vanished from the world’s radar. And while there are still some international bleats about getting aid into Gaza, Israel’s escalating war with Iran is muffling its critics.
Deaths and Wounds by the Numbers
Since October 7, 2023, more than 55,300 people have been killed and over 128,700 injured in Gaza, according to figures from local health authorities. That’s roughly 1 in 40 people who have died, or about 2.5 percent of all New York City residents.
Some studies indicate the real number of fatalities is even higher but it is hard to independently verify because of limits on international journalists entering Gaza.
During the ongoing hostilities, people in Gaza are falling victim to airstrikes and dying while going hungry and without essentials. For Bisan, who is left holding only her father’s shoe, the sorrow is unbearable. She looked up in pain and screamed, “May God hold you accountable.”
