The Palestinian Ministry of Health announced on Monday morning the death of five Palestinians due to the worsening famine in the Gaza Strip.
In a press statement, the ministry said that Gaza hospitals recorded five adult deaths from starvation and malnutrition in the past 24 hours.
This brings the total death toll from famine and malnutrition to 180, including 93 children, according to the ministry.
For the second consecutive day, all newly reported deaths were among adults.
The humanitarian crisis continues to escalate in Gaza as the closure of crossings and the blockade on humanitarian aid persist, leaving nearly 2 million people facing extreme hunger.
Mohammed Abu Afash, Director of Medical Relief in Gaza, confirmed that the aid currently entering the Strip is not enough to feed even 1% of the population, and warned that the humanitarian situation is deteriorating rapidly under the ongoing siege.
In a press statement, Abu Afash added that malnutrition cases are on the rise, with a severe shortage of essential food supplies and multiple food items unavailable for months.
He also warned of the risk of new disease outbreaks that the local health system is ill-equipped to handle, stressing the urgent need to open safe corridors for the immediate entry of humanitarian and medical aid.
Since October 2023, the Gaza Strip has been under a severe Israeli blockade, with nearly 2 million residents facing catastrophic humanitarian conditions. The ongoing closure of border crossings has halted the flow of essential aid, including food, medicine, and fuel, leading to widespread famine and malnutrition.
The healthcare system in Gaza is on the verge of collapse, struggling to treat the rising number of starvation-related cases amid shortages of medical supplies. Children and adults alike are dying from hunger, with the majority lacking access to even basic nutrition.
