Famine in Gaza claims 147, including 88 children

Gaza: The Palestinian Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip announced 14 new deaths in the past 24 hours due to famine and malnutrition, bringing the death toll to 147, including 88 children.

In the same context, the administration of Shuhada Al Aqsa Hospital in central Gaza warned of an imminent disaster due to the depletion of diesel fuel needed to operate the hospital's generators.

In a press release, the hospital said that only a few hours remain before a complete halt to healthcare services is imposed.

The hospital indicated that the continued power outage, in the absence of diesel to operate generators, will lead to a complete paralysis of all hospital departments, particularly operating rooms, intensive care units, nurseries, and dialysis machines, putting the lives of hundreds of patients at immediate risk.

The hospital appealed to all relevant authorities and international and humanitarian organizations to urgently intervene to provide sufficient quantities of diesel and ensure the continuity of medical services to citizens in the Central Governorate.

For its part, the Government Media Office in Gaza warned of an imminent threat to the lives of thousands of infants as a result of the Israeli occupation's continued ban on the entry of baby formula into the Strip for 150 days.

In a statement, the office indicated that there are more than 40,000 infants under the age of one in the Gaza Strip who are at risk of slow death due to the stifling blockade imposed by the Israeli occupation.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) had warned that malnutrition among children under the age of five had doubled between March and June, as a result of the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip.

The Gaza Strip is experiencing a severe famine, described as the worst humanitarian disaster ever experienced by Palestinians. Food supplies and all basic necessities are in short supply due to the tight closure imposed by the Israeli occupation since last March on all crossings leading to the Strip, preventing international and UN agencies from carrying out their relief and humanitarian roles.

The famine coincides with a major military escalation by the Israeli occupation forces, which have bombed homes, facilities, public places, and displacement camps in the Gaza Strip, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths and injuries.