A 4-year-old Palestinian boy, Mustafa Yassin, has died from malnutrition and dehydration in Gaza City, a heartbreaking symbol of the suffering endured by civilians under Israel’s ongoing blockade and military assault on the besieged enclave.

Gaza’s health ministry confirmed the child’s death on Saturday, blaming the Israeli-imposed starvation campaign that has crippled access to food, water, and medical supplies for over two million Palestinians.

Palestinian Health Minister Majed Abu Ramadan announced earlier this week that at least 29 children and elderly people have died of hunger-related causes in just two days. He warned that thousands more could meet the same fate if the siege continues unchecked.

“This is a systematic and deliberate policy of starvation being used as a weapon against our people,” said Abu Ramadan.

The World Food Program (WFP) has raised alarms about the deepening crisis, reporting that more than 70,000 children in Gaza are suffering from acute malnutrition due to Israel’s blockade and bombardment.

“WFP is taking every opportunity to deliver food and nutrition assistance – but this is just a drop in the bucket,” the organization stated. “To avert famine and save lives, we need immediate, unrestricted, and safe access to deliver.”

Despite global outcry, humanitarian convoys remain largely blocked, and international calls for a ceasefire and full access for aid workers have gone unheeded. Palestinian families, already displaced and grieving, now face starvation under what many human rights groups have described as collective punishment.

Mustafa Yassin’s death is not an isolated tragedy—it is a stark warning of the catastrophe unfolding in Gaza, where survival itself is now a daily battle. (ILKHA)