Israel’s blockade and bombardment of Gaza have pushed the death toll from starvation to at least 263, including 112 children, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

Israel's 22-month blockade and relentless attacks have brought man-made famine to homes and tents, while the number of people dying of starvation in Gaza is increasing every day.

According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, as of August 17, the number of people who have died of starvation in Gaza has reached at least 263, 112 of whom are children.

Between March and mid-May, Israel completely closed Gaza's border crossings, blocking the entry of food, water, and humanitarian aid. The blockade led to extreme famine, pushing Gaza's already fragile population into severe hunger and thirst.

On August 14, over 100 aid organizations, including leading groups such as Oxfam, Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Amnesty International, and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), condemned Israel's use of aid as a weapon, stating that it was preventing life-saving aid from reaching Gaza.

While Palestinians continue to suffer from hunger, large quantities of aid supplies remain stranded in warehouses in Jordan and Egypt.On Monday, the human rights organization Amnesty International accused Israel of implementing a “deliberate starvation policy” in Gaza and “systematically destroying the health, well-being, and social fabric of Palestinians.”

“This is the intended outcome of the plans and policies designed and implemented by Israel over the past 22 months to deliberately impose living conditions on Palestinians in Gaza that would lead to physical destruction. This is an integral part of Israel’s ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza,” Amnesty said.Gaza has always been dependent on aid due to the Israeli blockade imposed since 2007. (ILKHA)