The humanitarian crisis in the besieged Gaza Strip continues to escalate as a young Palestinian child, Noor Riyad Akhzeeq, died of hunger and malnutrition on Thursday evening, according to medical sources at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.

The child’s death adds to a growing toll of innocent lives lost to starvation amid the relentless Israeli blockade and the total collapse of the health and food infrastructure. According to official figures released by Gaza’s government, at least 76 children have now died from malnutrition-related causes. The overall death toll from starvation and the lack of essential medical supplies has surged to 620 patients.

Hospitals across Gaza, particularly in central and northern areas, are witnessing a dramatic surge in the number of patients—many of them children—arriving in critical condition due to extreme hunger. Medical staff report patients in advanced states of emaciation, severe dehydration, and total physical collapse, symptoms of prolonged famine conditions and untreated illness.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza issued a stark warning on Thursday, describing the humanitarian conditions as "catastrophic beyond precedent." The ministry emphasized that over two million people are now facing famine-level food insecurity, with starvation spreading rapidly and threatening the survival of the entire population.

Since the total closure of Gaza’s border crossings in early March, Israel has continued to block the entry of food, medicine, fuel, and humanitarian aid—part of a siege that has now lasted over 140 days. The blockade is a core component of what observers, including rights groups and international experts, have increasingly described as a genocidal war now entering its 21st month.

Residents say they have exhausted every possible source of sustenance. Local markets are devoid of essential goods, and the rare food items that remain are sold at exorbitant prices on the black market, well beyond the reach of most Palestinians. Bread, once a daily staple, has become a distant luxury.

Humanitarian observers and journalists have documented shocking images of children with visible bones, elderly people collapsing in the streets, and families going days without food. Many are surviving on wild herbs, animal feed, or contaminated water, risking poisoning in a desperate bid to stay alive.

The worsening famine has sparked outrage across the region and renewed calls for international intervention. Palestinian civil society organizations, human rights monitors, and medical associations are urging the international community to pressure Israel to immediately reopen crossings, allow food and medical aid into the enclave, and end the siege.

Despite multiple UN warnings and appeals from humanitarian agencies, no significant breakthrough has been achieved. Aid trucks remain blocked at the border, and Gaza’s hospitals are operating far beyond capacity, with little to no supplies, fuel, or electricity.

The death of Noor Riyad Akhzeeq is a heartbreaking symbol of Gaza’s descent into starvation under siege. As the blockade continues and global inaction persists, fears are growing that many more will follow. (ILKHA)