Gaza Faces Famine Crisis as Aid Deliveries Falter Amid Ongoing Conflict**

Gaza is grappling with a worsening famine as Israel's military operations and restrictions on humanitarian aid continue to devastate the region. Hunger-related deaths are rising, with the United Nations-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) warning on July 29 that Gaza is experiencing a "worst-case scenario of famine." The crisis, described as a deliberate tactic by medical professionals, is taking a severe toll, particularly on children.

Dr. James Smith, an emergency doctor who has volunteered in Gaza, told Al Jazeera, "Starvation is a barbaric way to kill. It’s protracted and maximizes suffering." According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 180 people, half of them children, have died from starvation. The IPC reports that over 20,000 children were treated for acute malnutrition between April and mid-July, with more than 3,000 in severe condition.

The human body under starvation breaks down muscle and tissues, slows metabolism, impairs kidney function, and weakens the immune system. Vital organs like the heart and lungs falter, leading to extreme weakness and, ultimately, death as the body consumes its own tissues. **Aid Restrictions Worsen Crisis** Israel’s restrictions on aid have drastically reduced the flow of supplies into Gaza. Before October 2023, approximately 500 aid trucks entered daily. On Saturday, only 36 trucks were allowed in, while 22,000 remain stranded at border crossings, according to Gaza’s Government Media Office. In March, Israel imposed a near-total blockade, permitting only a fraction of needed aid in recent months. Even when aid reaches the border, distribution is fraught with challenges. The UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) reported that only 76 of 138 convoy requests were approved between July 19 and 25. Approved convoys face delays of up to 46 hours and dangerous journeys lasting 12 hours due to checkpoints, sniper fire, and drone surveillance. Desperate civilians, driven by hunger, sometimes attack trucks, creating volatile situations for drivers and aid seekers. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), backed by Israel and the US, has replaced the UN Relief and Works Agency’s (UNRWA) 400 distribution points with four militarized "mega-sites" near combat zones. Civilians, including vulnerable groups like children and the elderly, must travel long distances through dangerous areas to access aid. Reports indicate Israeli forces frequently fire on crowds at these sites, with at least 1,487 people killed and 10,578 injured while trying to collect aid, according to local sources. A former GHF guard, US veteran Anthony Aguilar, recounted to Al Jazeera a tragic incident where a boy he helped was killed amid tear gas, stun grenades, and gunfire aimed at aid seekers. Despite Israel’s claims that the GHF prevents Hamas from diverting aid, a US Agency for International Development analysis and Israeli military officials have found no evidence of systemic aid theft by Hamas. **Airdrops Fall Short** Countries including France, Jordan, and the UAE have resorted to airdropping aid, but these efforts are inadequate and often dangerous. Much of the aid lands in inaccessible areas or the sea, becoming damaged or contaminated. In some cases, people have been injured or killed trying to retrieve airdropped supplies. UN agencies emphasize that airdrops cannot replace the need for unrestricted overland aid access to prevent mass starvation among Gaza’s 2.2 million residents. **Mounting Death Toll** Since October 7, 2023, Israel’s military campaign has killed nearly 61,000 people, including at least 18,430 children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. A February 2025 study by The Lancet estimated the death toll could be 40 percent higher than reported, as many deaths occur outside hospitals and go unrecorded.

As the conflict surpasses 660 days, the international community faces growing calls to address the humanitarian crisis and ensure safe, consistent aid delivery to avert further catastrophe in Gaza.