Medical sources in the Gaza Strip reported on Wednesday that five more Palestinians have died in the past 24 hours from acute malnutrition and starvation, as Israel’s blockade continues to strangle the territory’s access to food and medicine.

The latest deaths raise the total number of famine-related fatalities to at least 139, including 96 children, according to health authorities.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza has sharply deteriorated since the Israeli occupation closed all border crossings on 2 March 2025, preventing the entry of most food and medical aid. Aid agencies warn the blockade is accelerating the spread of famine across the besieged enclave.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has reported that malnutrition among children under five doubled between March and June.

The World Health Organization (WHO) described the situation as “alarming,” noting that nearly one in five children under five in Gaza City is suffering from acute malnutrition.

Since the launch of its military campaign on 7 October 2023, Israel has been accused of committing genocide in Gaza through systematic bombing, starvation, destruction of civilian infrastructure, and mass displacement.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has issued orders to halt actions contributing to the destruction of the Palestinian population, but these have been ignored.

The ongoing war has killed and wounded more than 209,000 people, according to Gaza health authorities, with women and children making up the majority of the victims. More than 11,000 people remain missing, and hundreds of thousands have been displaced from their homes. (ILKHA)