Children in Gaza Rally Amid Severe Starvation as Israeli Blockade Enters Second Month

In the war-torn neighborhood of Khan Younis, Gaza, children suffering from severe malnutrition stood amid rubble on Tuesday, pleading for food and medicine blocked by Israel since March 2, Anadolu Agency reported. The blockade, now in its second month, has intensified the humanitarian disaster in Gaza, where over 2.4 million residents depend almost entirely on aid.

Organized by the volunteer group Four Friends, the 25th such protest was marked by children holding signs reading “Enough Killing,” “Open the Crossings,” and “We Are Hungry.” Many of the children appeared visibly weak, some barely able to stand, underscoring the dire conditions caused by the siege.

According to Gaza’s government media office, the closure of border crossings has led to a catastrophic decline in health, with widespread malnutrition especially affecting infants. More than one million children face daily hunger, and 65,000 have been admitted to Gaza’s hospitals with severe malnutrition.

Eleven-year-old Rama Abu al-Aynayn spoke emotionally about the crisis, saying, “We beg for the crossings to open. We’re dying from hunger and bombardment. Most of those killed by airstrikes are children. Enough is enough.” She emphasized the lack of safety and education amid the ongoing siege.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini condemned the blockade, calling it a “manmade and politically motivated starvation.” The UN World Food Programme announced that its food stocks in Gaza have been fully depleted due to the blockade.

Palestine’s UN envoy Riyad Mansour accused Israel of using starvation as a weapon against Gaza’s civilians and called for an immediate ceasefire at a recent Security Council session. Egypt also brought the issue before the International Court of Justice, demanding an unconditional end to the blockade.

The blockade follows renewed Israeli military assaults that shattered a ceasefire agreement in March. Since October 2023, more than 52,300 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed in Gaza. The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Israeli leaders over alleged war crimes, while Israel faces genocide charges at the International Court of Justice.