The Palestinian Ministry of Health reported on Monday that five more Palestinians have died from starvation and malnutrition in the Gaza Strip, bringing the total death toll from famine since October 2023 to 180, including 93 children.

The ministry noted that all five deaths recorded in the past 24 hours were adults, marking the second consecutive day of adult fatalities due to the worsening food crisis.

The Gaza Strip, home to nearly 2 million people, is grappling with a rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation amid an ongoing Israeli blockade that has severely restricted the flow of essential aid, including food, medicine, and fuel. The closure of border crossings has exacerbated the crisis, leaving residents facing extreme hunger and a collapsing healthcare system.

Mohammed Abu Afash, Director of Medical Relief in Gaza, warned that the limited aid entering the Strip is insufficient to meet the needs of even 1% of the population. "Malnutrition cases are surging, and essential food supplies have been unavailable for months," Abu Afash said in a press statement. He also raised concerns about the risk of new disease outbreaks, which Gaza’s strained health system is unprepared to handle.

The ministry and local officials are urgently calling for the opening of safe corridors to allow immediate delivery of humanitarian and medical aid to avert further deaths and alleviate the catastrophic conditions.

The international community is pressed to act swiftly as Gaza’s residents, particularly children, face mounting threats from starvation and lack of basic nutrition. (ILKHA)