Gaza’s Government Media Office has warned that 100,000 children under the age of two, including 40,000 newborns, risk death within days due to what it describes as an “imminent unprecedented humanitarian disaster” caused by Israel, as reported by Al Jazeera. This follows an ANSA report citing medical sources that another newborn died of starvation in Gaza, bringing the total malnutrition fatalities to 124, including 84 children.
A statement attributed the crisis to the “total lack of baby formula and nutritional supplements, the continued closure of crossings, and the prevention of even the most basic supplies.” Further compounding the situation, Israeli broadcaster Kan, citing military sources, alleged the Israeli army destroyed and buried aid from over 1,000 trucks waiting for weeks on the Palestinian side of the Kerem Shalom crossing. Thousands of aid packages reportedly remain exposed to the sun.
The Media Office statement condemned what it called an “anticipated and deliberate mass killing,” stating mothers are forced to feed infants water instead of milk due to “Israeli occupation policies of starvation and extermination.”
Contradicting aid access claims, Israel’s aid coordination body (Cogat) stated approximately 90 food trucks were unloaded at crossings yesterday, with over 100 collected by UN and international agencies from Gaza. However, Cogat suggested “hundreds of trucks still await pickup,” sharing images of what it termed “hundreds of UN aid pallets awaiting collection and distribution.” This marks the latest in ongoing accusations between Israel and the UN regarding Gaza’s humanitarian crisis.
Adding complexity, The New York Times reported that Israel lacks evidence for its primary justification – systematic looting of UN aid by Hamas – used to create the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. Citing anonymous senior Israeli military officials and others involved, the Times stated the UN system remains the most reliable aid distribution method, while Hamas allegedly steals from smaller contributing organizations. The Israeli military told the Times that Hamas looting is “well-documented” and aid is exploited to fund terrorism, but did not dispute the lack of evidence for systematic UN aid theft.
In response, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Britain is ready to play a leading role in airdropping aid to Gaza following Israeli authorization. While describing images from Gaza as “absolutely horrific” and calling the Israeli permission “too late,” Starmer emphasized UK recognition of a Palestinian state must be “part of a broader plan” leading to a two-state solution and lasting security. Proposals include bringing more Palestinian children to the UK for medical treatment. Starmer noted existing UK-Jordan collaboration on aid flights, though agencies deem this insufficient. The move follows a letter from a third of UK MPs urging Palestinian state recognition.
Israeli authorities, while maintaining that Gaza’s situation is difficult but not famine-stricken, announced they would allow the UAE and Jordan to resume humanitarian airdrops, which the Times of Israel reported as “an apparent recognition of the situation’s gravity.” Aid agencies criticized the decision, recalling a March 2024 incident where a US military airdrop coordinated with Jordan, Egypt, and France killed five Palestinians.