As airstrikes persist, Gaza’s humanitarian crisis deepens
Hospitals in Gaza are overwhelmed, food is scarce, and aid remains blocked as starvation deaths rise.
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Saif Hijazi, 13, who suffers from severe malnutrition and was partially paralyzed by shelling, lies on a bed to have his picture taken at the Shifa Hospital where he is being treated in Gaza City, Monday, July 28, 2025 (AP)
The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza announced on Sunday that six more adults have died of starvation in 24 hours, raising the official number of starvation-related deaths to 175, including 93 children. The growing death toll comes amid dire warnings of a total collapse of Gaza’s food security system, with hospitals increasingly unable to deliver even the most basic care to those suffering from malnutrition and dehydration.
At least 56 Palestinians have been killed since dawn on Sunday in a series of Israeli strikes across the besieged enclave. Al-Awda Hospital in Nuseirat reported five fatalities and 12 injuries after an Israeli attack struck near a civilian gathering point close to an aid distribution center on Salah al-Din Road in central Gaza.
Rescue teams retrieved the bodies of 22 martyrs from beneath the rubble following intense Israeli airstrikes that targeted the neighborhoods of Shujaiya, Tuffah, and al-Zaytoun in eastern Gaza City. More Israeli shelling was reported near a wedding hall in the city’s northwest.
In the al-Bureij refugee camp, a young girl succumbed to injuries sustained in a previous Israeli strike on her home. Meanwhile, nine Palestinians were killed near food distribution centers in northwest Rafah by Israeli gunfire.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society condemned the Israeli targeting of its Khan Younis headquarters, which killed one staff member and injured three others. The organization reported that its building was bombed early Sunday, sparking fires after the first floor was struck.
60,839 people killed in Gaza
The ongoing Israeli aggression on Gaza has claimed the lives of 119 Palestinians and left 866 injured in the past 24 hours alone, according to health authorities in the Strip.
Since the start of the Israeli occupation's war on Gaza in October 2023, the total number of martyrs has reached 60,839, with 149,588 others wounded in relentless air and ground assaults that have devastated entire neighborhoods and infrastructure.
Since the Israeli regime's violation of the March 18, 2025, ceasefire agreement, an additional 9,350 Palestinians have been martyred and 37,547 wounded, underscoring the heavy human toll of the occupation’s resumed offensive.
'Full-fledged war crime': 22,000 aid trucks blocked
Gaza’s Government Media Office accused "Israel" of deliberately enforcing a policy of starvation and siege, revealing that more than 22,000 humanitarian aid trucks, mostly from the UN and international relief agencies, remain blocked at the crossings.
Describing the blockade as a “full-fledged war crime,” the office held "Israel" and complicit or silent governments fully responsible for the worsening humanitarian disaster. It demanded the immediate and unconditional opening of border crossings and the entry of all stalled aid shipments.
“We are witnessing a deliberate policy aimed at engineering famine and chaos,” the office said.
On Saturday, only 36 humanitarian aid trucks were allowed into Gaza, a fraction of the 600 trucks per day required to meet the minimum food, fuel, and healthcare needs of the population.
Officials also reported that many of these trucks were looted due to the collapse of civil order, a direct consequence, they argue, of "Israel’s" strategy of destabilization.
“Israel is engineering famine and lawlessness,” the office declared, emphasizing the urgent need for baby formula, clean water, and medical supplies.
In one of the latest atrocities, at least 15 bodies were brought to local hospitals after Israeli strikes hit tents sheltering displaced civilians.
Since Saturday morning alone, 38 Palestinians have been killed while waiting for aid at distribution points.
“Israel continues its starvation campaign,” the Media Office said, calling it “part of a broader genocidal assault on Gaza.”
Hospitals collapsing under pressure
Gaza’s hospitals are now functioning beyond breaking point, overwhelmed by both the starvation crisis and continued airstrikes. The Ministry of Health warned that hospitals are “drowning in injuries”, with patients being treated in hallways, stairwells, and on bare floors.
Occupancy rates have soared across major facilities:
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Al-Shifa Hospital: 240% capacity
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Al-Rantisi Hospital: 210%
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Nasser Hospital: 180%
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Arab Ahli Hospital: 300%
“We no longer have space, supplies, or staff,” the Health Ministry stated. “We are treating severely wounded patients on the floor, with no beds, no equipment, and often no electricity.”
It called on humanitarian and medical organizations worldwide to “act urgently and effectively” to save lives and prevent a total collapse of Gaza’s health infrastructure.