Israeli Strikes Kill 63 in Gaza Amid Deepening Hunger Crisis

Escalating Violence Amid Humanitarian Pauses

Israeli forces have killed at least 63 people in Gaza, even as the military announced a temporary pause in attacks to allow for humanitarian aid. This move, which was supposed to create safer conditions for aid delivery, has been undermined by continued violence.

On Sunday, the Israeli army declared a halt in military activity from 10 am to 8 pm (07:00-17:00 GMT) in parts of central and northern Gaza, including al-Mawasi, Deir el-Balah, and Gaza City. They also promised to open designated aid corridors for food and medical convoys between 6 am and 11 pm. However, this promise was quickly broken as air raids resumed within hours of the first day of the so-called “humanitarian pauses.”

Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary reported from Deir el-Balah that an airstrike hit Gaza City, an area that was supposedly designated as safe. According to locals, a bakery was targeted during the attack, further highlighting the lack of safety for civilians.

The situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, with global concerns growing over the worsening humanitarian crisis caused by Israel's actions. The death toll from famine-related causes has risen significantly, with the Gaza Health Ministry reporting six more Palestinians, including two children, dying from hunger in the past 24 hours. This brings the total number of starvation deaths since October 2023 to 133.

Among the victims was a 5-month-old girl named Zainab Abu Haleeb, who died from malnutrition at Nasser Hospital. Her mother, Israa Abu Haleeb, expressed her grief as she held her child’s small body wrapped in a white shroud. The World Food Programme (WFP) stated that one in three Gaza residents has gone days without eating, and nearly 500,000 people are suffering from “famine-like conditions.” The World Health Organization warned that over 20% of pregnant and breastfeeding women are malnourished.

Falestine Ahmed, a mother in Gaza, shared her story with Al Jazeera. She lost one-third of her body weight due to a lack of food. “I used to weigh 57kg, now I weigh 42kg,” she said. “Both my son and I have been diagnosed with severe malnutrition.”

Despite the authorization of new aid corridors by Israel, the deliveries remain dangerous and insufficient. Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud reported that an aid drop caused casualties, with eleven people injured when a pallet fell on tents in a displacement site near al-Rasheed Road.

Israel continues to deny the existence of famine in Gaza, insisting that it is working to improve humanitarian access. However, scenes of desperation contradict these claims. Smoud Wahdan, a mother searching for flour, said, “I’ve come all this way, risking my life for my children. They haven’t eaten for a week.” Another displaced mother, Tahani, mentioned that her cancer-stricken child was among those suffering. “I came to get flour, to look for food to feed my children. I wish God’s followers would wake up and see all these people. They are dying.”

Aid groups are overwhelmed by the scale of the crisis. Liz Allcock, head of protection for Medical Aid for Palestinians, described the situation as unprecedented. “The scale of starvation and the number of people that you see walking around who are literally skin and bones… money really has no value here when there is nothing to buy,” she said. She warned that a quarter of the population is at risk of acute malnutrition.

The United Nations emphasized that aid deliveries can only succeed if Israel allows rapid movement of convoys through its checkpoints. UN aid chief Tom Fletcher noted that while some restrictions appeared to have eased, the scale of the crisis requires far more action. “This is progress, but vast amounts of aid are needed to stave off famine and a catastrophic health crisis,” he said.

Diplomatic pressure is mounting. French President Emmanuel Macron discussed the Gaza situation with his Turkish and Egyptian counterparts and plans to co-host a conference in New York focused on securing a two-state solution. He confirmed France would soon recognize Palestinian statehood, joining over 140 UN member states.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese criticized Israel’s blockade of aid, calling it a violation of “humanity and morality.” In Washington, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said ceasefire talks led by Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff were making “a lot of progress,” suggesting that half the remaining Israeli captives may be released soon.

The Gaza Health Ministry reported 88 Palestinians killed and 374 injured in Israeli attacks over the past 24 hours alone. Since Israel’s war on Gaza began in October, at least 59,821 Palestinians have been killed and more than 144,000 wounded. Despite talk of pauses and diplomacy, the violence continues to escalate.