Starvation Used as Weapon in Gaza as Siege Enters 23rd Day

As Israel’s devastating siege and bombing campaign in northern Gaza enters its 23rd day, the struggle for survival intensifies. Oxfam, a UK-based NGO, has accused Israel of using starvation as a weapon in its ongoing conflict, warning that Palestinians in the north are “starving to death,” Al Jazeera reports.

Mahmoud Alsaqqa, Oxfam’s food security and livelihood lead in Gaza, expressed grave concerns about the dire situation, stating that the ongoing bombing campaign has made it impossible for aid agencies to reach those in need. He warned that more deaths from hunger are expected in the coming days.

The grim reality of the situation is reflected in the statistics. Aid agencies report that 96% of Gaza’s population is facing severe food shortages. UNICEF estimates that nine out of ten children lack the nutrition they need for growth and development, with at least 37 children dying from malnutrition or dehydration in the past year.

The United Nations has confirmed that Israel has blocked the entry of 83% of food aid into Gaza since the war began, with an estimated 50,000 children under five requiring urgent treatment for malnutrition by the end of the year.

The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has called for an immediate ceasefire, the release of captives, and accountability for “crimes under international law.”

Amidst the dire humanitarian situation, Israeli forces continued their ground assault on northern Gaza on Sunday, bombing multiple neighborhoods and displacing thousands of residents.

On Saturday, at least 35 people were killed in Beit Lahiya after the Israeli army targeted five buildings in the northern part of the Strip. A separate attack in the same area resulted in 10 additional casualties.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza has reported that the ongoing siege and strikes on Jabalia, Beit Hanoon, and Beit Lahiya have resulted in the deaths of approximately 800 Palestinians.

Israel maintains that its forces have returned to northern Gaza to eliminate Hamas fighters who had regrouped in the area. The Israeli military claimed to have “eliminated over 40 terrorists” in the Jabalia area in the past 24 hours, along with dismantling infrastructure and locating “large quantities of military equipment”.