More than 100 aid and human rights organisations issued a stark warning on Wednesday, stating that “mass starvation” is spreading across Gaza.
Meanwhile, the United States announced that its top envoy is heading to Europe for talks on a potential ceasefire and humanitarian aid corridor.
International pressure is mounting on Israel over the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where over two million people now face acute shortages of food and essentials after 21 months of conflict.
However, Israel denied obstructing aid deliveries. It claimed that 950 truckloads of supplies are already in Gaza, waiting for international agencies to collect and distribute them.
“We have not identified starvation at this current point in time, but we recognise the need for urgent action to stabilise the humanitarian situation,” the Times of Israel quoted a senior Israeli security official as saying.
On the ground, the Israeli military confirmed it was conducting operations in Gaza City and northern Gaza, stating it had targeted dozens of “terror sites” across the territory.
Gaza’s civil defence agency told AFP that Israeli airstrikes killed 17 people overnight, including a pregnant woman in Gaza City.
‘Wasting Away’
The United Nations reported on Tuesday that Israeli forces had killed over 1,000 Palestinians attempting to access food since the US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) began operations in late May. This move effectively displaced the longstanding UN-led aid mechanism.
In a joint statement, 111 organisations — including Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Save the Children, and Oxfam — warned that “our colleagues and those we serve are wasting away”.
They called for an immediate ceasefire, the full opening of all land crossings, and the unhindered flow of aid via UN-led systems.
The US said its envoy, Steve Witkoff, would travel to Europe this week for talks on Gaza, with a possible visit to the Middle East thereafter.
Witkoff, according to State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce, carries “a strong hope that we will secure another ceasefire and establish a humanitarian corridor for aid agreed to by both sides”.
Despite Israel easing its over two-month blockade in late May, conditions in Gaza remain critical, with extreme shortages of food and essential supplies.
Israel insists that aid is flowing into Gaza and accuses Hamas of worsening civilian suffering — allegedly by looting food distributions for profit or attacking civilians waiting for aid.
The GHF criticised the United Nations for refusing to cooperate with its efforts, claiming the UN suffers from “capacity and operational issues” and urging greater collaboration to deliver life-saving supplies.
COGAT, the Israeli defence ministry body overseeing civil affairs in Palestinian territories, stated that nearly 4,500 trucks carrying flour, baby food, and high-calorie items for children had recently entered Gaza.
However, it noted a “significant decline in the collection of humanitarian aid” by international groups, citing this as the main barrier to ensuring steady aid delivery into the strip.
Aid agencies countered that Israeli-imposed restrictions and poor coordination continued to hamper their ability to transport goods safely and efficiently to areas in need.
‘Hope and Heartbreak’
Humanitarian organisations reported that warehouses filled with aid remain untouched both inside and outside Gaza, with access blocked by logistical and political hurdles.
“Palestinians are trapped in a cycle of hope and heartbreak — waiting for assistance and ceasefires, only to wake up to worsening conditions,” the joint statement read.
“This is not just a physical crisis, but a psychological one. Survival is dangled like a mirage.”
They added: “The humanitarian system cannot run on false promises. Humanitarians cannot work within shifting timelines or rely on political assurances that fail to ensure access.”
The director of Gaza’s largest hospital reported on Tuesday that 21 children had died from starvation and malnutrition over the previous three days.
Mediators have been engaging both Israeli and Hamas negotiators in Doha since July 7, with expectations that Witkoff would join the talks as they near a conclusion.
On Monday, over two dozen Western governments demanded an immediate end to the conflict, saying Gaza’s suffering had “reached new depths”.
According to the Hamas-run health ministry, Israel’s military campaign has killed 59,219 Palestinians — mostly civilians. The war began after Hamas launched an attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which left 1,219 people dead, also primarily civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official sources.