The relentless Israeli blockade on Gaza has claimed eight more Palestinian lives in the past 24 hours, with starvation and malnutrition pushing the death toll from famine to 281, including 114 children, medical sources reported.

The escalating crisis, fueled by Israel’s deliberate restrictions on food and medical supplies, has plunged the besieged Gaza Strip into a humanitarian catastrophe, with hospitals overwhelmed by cases of severe hunger and preventable deaths.

Since March 2, 2025, Israel’s tightened siege has choked off nearly all aid, exacerbating starvation and compounding the devastation from its ongoing campaign of destruction and mass killings in Gaza. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) reported that malnutrition among children under five doubled between March and June, a direct consequence of the blockade’s stranglehold on essential supplies. The World Health Organization (WHO) further confirmed that nearly one in five children under five in Gaza City is suffering from acute malnutrition, with deliberate aid restrictions and the prolonged siege directly responsible for countless deaths.

Hospitals across Gaza are struggling to cope as the blockade prevents access to life-saving resources, leaving families to watch loved ones, particularly children, waste away from hunger. Palestinian health officials and international aid agencies have condemned Israel’s actions as a violation of humanitarian law, accusing the occupation of weaponizing starvation to collectively punish Gaza’s population.

As the famine worsens, advocates for Palestinian rights are urging the international community to take urgent action to lift the blockade and hold Israel accountable for the unfolding tragedy. The soaring death toll underscores the dire need for immediate intervention to restore aid access and end the suffering of Gaza’s besieged population. (ILKHA)