Widespread hunger threatens to lead to mass starvation in Gaza, according to over a hundred NGOs.
The Gaza Strip is currently experiencing a severe humanitarian crisis, with mass starvation, lethal attacks around aid efforts, forced displacement, and a siege maintained by Israeli forces. Over 100 humanitarian organisations, including Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Save the Children, and Oxfam, have issued a warning about the imminent threat of mass starvation spreading across the region.
The crisis began due to an ongoing Israeli siege, which has resulted in complete depletion of food and essential supplies in Gaza. According to reports, over 875 Palestinians have been killed while seeking food since mid-July 2025, with nearly two million Palestinians forcibly displaced within Gaza, confined now to less than 12% of the territory following mass displacement orders issued as recently as July 20, 2025.
The UN World Food Programme (WFP) and other agencies warn that the current conditions render humanitarian operations impossible. The use of starvation as a method of warfare is explicitly recognized as a war crime under international law.
International NGOs are pressing for an immediate ceasefire and open, UN-supervised aid access, framing starvation as a war crime demanding urgent response. The humanitarian organisations' joint plea indicates growing global concern and mounting pressure on the Israeli government to end the siege and agree to a ceasefire.
The call for a principled, UN-led mechanism to ensure the safe delivery of aid highlights efforts at the international level to structure relief and possibly mediate ceasefire terms. However, after more than two weeks, the talks appear to be at a standstill.
The latest round of negotiations have made some progress on key issues but have stalled on others. The Israeli government has denied claims of large-scale starvation in the Gaza Strip, accusing Hamas of looting aid and blocking its distribution. The GHF has been accused of sidelining the existing UN-led system of aid distribution.
Meanwhile, more than 21 children have died of starvation and malnutrition in Gaza in the past three days, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. The Israeli and Hamas negotiators have been engaged in indirect negotiations in Doha for a ceasefire and hostage deal since July 6.
The UN continues to attribute the mounting aid stockpiles at the crossings to Israel's restrictions and rejections of permits. Warehouses with tonnes of supplies are sitting untouched just outside the Gaza Strip, and NGOs are blocked from accessing or delivering the goods.
The negotiations are also focusing on the number and identities of Palestinians held in Israel who will be released as part of the deal. Hamas negotiators are looking at the latest set of maps provided by Israeli counterparts on its military's redeployment inside Gaza if a deal is reached.
The US special envoy Steve Witkoff will head to Rome this week for talks on Gaza and may visit the Middle East after that. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has stated that the horror facing Palestinians in Gaza under Israeli military attacks is unprecedented in recent years.
As the crisis deepens, international pressure on the Israeli government to end the siege and agree to a ceasefire continues to mount. The world watches as the situation in Gaza unfolds, hoping for a swift resolution to alleviate civilian suffering.
- The international community has expressed concern over the escalating health crisis in the Gaza Strip, with organizations such as Doctors Without Borders, Save the Children, and Oxfam issuing warnings about the imminent threat of mass starvation.
- The Middle East region, including countries like Egypt, Qatar, and the UAE, are closely following the news about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
- Political discussions about the situation in Gaza have been at the forefront of general-news conversations, with countries in the region and beyond expressing their opinions.
- The crisis in Gaza has prompted various health-and-wellness organizations to focus on nutrition and mental-health support for the affected Palestinians.
- The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, marked by war-and-conflicts like the current siege of Gaza, has been the subject of numerous science and research studies aiming to understand the root causes and possible solutions.
- Amidst the worsening situation, the role of UN agencies like the World Food Programme becomes crucial in ensuring the safe delivery of essential supplies to the suffering civilians in Gaza.
- As the crisis persists, international media channels have been reporting extensively on the dire situation in Gaza, highlighting the rising number of children dying due to starvation and malnutrition.
- With the United States special envoy Steve Witkoff planning to visit Rome and possibly the Middle East, there is renewed hope that international efforts may lead to a resolution in the ongoing crisis in Gaza.
