Famine, Starvation Deaths, and Heat-Related Illnesses Plague Gaza’s Humanitarian Crisis
Gaza faces catastrophic famine as starvation deaths near 62,000; UN agencies warn of man-made famine, and heat-triggered skin diseases spike.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has deepened into what UN agencies describe as a “constructed and deliberate” famine. According to Anadolu Agency, the death toll in Gaza has nearly reached 62,000 — a figure indicating widespread civilian suffering amid continued shortages.
Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of UNRWA, accused Israel of deliberately causing starvation by sidelining the UN-led aid system and replacing it with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). He stated that nearly 1,400 starvation-related deaths have been attributed to GHF operations, underlining the agency’s exclusion from distributing essential aid. Additionally, Gaza’s Ministry of Health reported seven more deaths from starvation, including a child, bringing the hunger-related total to 169 since October 7, 2023 — the onset of the Gaza war.
UN-backed assessments confirm that Gaza has reached multiple famine thresholds, with extreme food shortages across large portions of the population and severe malnutrition in one-third of children. A “worst-case famine scenario” is unfolding, with over 28,000 reported cases of acute malnutrition and 122 hunger-related deaths, including 83 children, according to Reuters.
In addition to food scarcity, a severe heat wave has triggered a sharp increase in skin diseases, as reported by the director of Al-Shifa Hospital. Soaring temperatures combined with acute drinking water shortages and halted fuel supplies have strained medical services. Hospitals struggle to run essential equipment, imperiling patient care across Gaza.
