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Over 100 NGOs warn of mass famine in Gaza amid ongoing conflict
More than a hundred humanitarian organizations have issued an urgent warning about the outbreak of a “mass famine” in the war-torn Gaza Strip. The alert comes as U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff prepares for a diplomatic mission in Europe to finalize the creation of a humanitarian corridor.
Despite limited easing of a total blockade enforced by Israel since March, severe shortages of food, medicine, and basic necessities continue to plague Gaza. On Tuesday, local health officials reported that 21 children had died from starvation or malnutrition within just 72 hours.
NGOs including Médecins Sans Frontières, Médecins du Monde, Caritas, Amnesty International, and Oxfam issued a joint statement urging an immediate ceasefire, full access through land crossings, and unrestricted humanitarian aid delivery.
“The people we serve are wasting away as famine spreads across Gaza,” the statement read. Humanitarian groups also condemned the Israeli military for allegedly killing over 1,000 civilians since late May near aid distribution sites, including those managed by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a group supported by the U.S. and Israel.
While Israel accuses Hamas of misappropriating aid and profiting from civilian suffering, NGOs maintain that enormous quantities of food and medical supplies remain blocked just outside or even inside Gaza. “Malnutrition is exploding. Famine is knocking on every door,” warned UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
In one particularly harrowing incident, a Gaza City hospital reported the death of 21 children due to hunger, while in the south, AFP images captured grieving parents cradling the skeletal body of a 14-year-old boy.
U.S. officials say Witkoff’s European trip is aimed at brokering a new ceasefire and securing a humanitarian corridor. However, diplomatic efforts have stalled. Israel insists on defeating Hamas and recovering hostages, while Hamas demands a full Israeli withdrawal and a permanent end to the war.
Since the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,219 people in Israel, the war has resulted in over 59,000 deaths in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to the territory's health ministry figures.
