The hunger crisis in Gaza persists as at least 10 more Palestinians succumb to starvation. As reported by Al Jazeera, this raises the death toll from starvation to 111 since the conflict between Palestine and Israel escalated into a war in October 2023. Among these fatalities, 43 have reportedly occurred within the past three days.

The escalation of the hunger crisis has led the World Health Organisation (WHO), along with 115 other international aid organisations, to urge for an immediate ceasefire and the reopening of all land crossings. This would enable UN-led organisations to deliver aid freely into the conflict zone.

“A significant portion of Gaza's population is facing starvation. It can only be described as mass starvation – a situation created by human actions,” WHO director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated to reporters, according to The Guardian.

Palestinians are struggling to access food due to Israel’s blockade and ongoing attacks on the Gaza Strip. Here, they wait in line to receive hot meals distributed by the charity organisation in Gaza City, Gaza on July 20, 2025. (Photo by Ahmed Jihad Ibrahim Al-arini/Anadolu via Getty Images)

The hunger crisis is thought to stem from the IDF’s blockade of essential aid and food to the Gaza Strip, with the European Commission indicating that Israel is not doing enough to facilitate increased aid into the region. Prior to the blockade's implementation in March, The Guardian noted that over 500 aid trucks entered Gaza daily. However, from July 17 to July 21, only 132 trucks were reported to have entered the strip, insufficient to meet the needs of the population.

Despite numerous organisations and countries attributing the rising hunger crisis to the IDF’s blockade, the Israeli government denies responsibility for the severe food shortage, instead accusing Hamas of orchestrating the crisis.

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Al Jazeera reporter Tareq Abu Azzoum comments that “hunger has become as lethal as the bombs” for Palestinians in Gaza.

“Families are no longer seeking adequacy; they are pleading for anything,” Azzoum reported from the scene at Deir el-Balah in Gaza.

“[It’s] a slow, agonizing death unfolding in real time, an engineered famine orchestrated by the Israeli military.”

Meanwhile, medical personnel in Gaza report they have been without food for over 48 hours, making it increasingly challenging for them to provide critical care to those in need.

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“They are experiencing severe exhaustion. Some have fainted in the operating rooms,” said the director of Gaza’s al-Shift hospital, Dr Mohammed Abu Selmia.

“Medical services will be severely impacted because our staff cannot endure much longer amid this famine.”

This, along with the destruction of Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure, has made it increasingly difficult for doctors and those seeking medical treatment.