A baby girl has died of malnutrition and dehydration in Gaza City, succumbing to the dire conditions exacerbated by an ongoing Israeli blockade that has now stretched for two months. The Gaza Government Media Office reports that this tragedy brings the total number of Palestinians starved to death to at least 57, a figure that underscores the severity of the humanitarian crisis gripping the region. The office is urgently calling for international intervention to lift the blockade.
Ongoing Israeli Attacks
Amidst the blockade, Israeli attacks continue to claim lives. In the past 24 hours alone, as of May 1, 2025, at least 18 Palestinians have been killed. Among the recent casualties, two women were killed in an Israeli air raid on a house near Khan Younis, and a fisherman was killed by an Israeli naval attack off the coast of Gaza City.
Health System on the Brink
The health system in Gaza is on the brink of collapse, with hospitals facing acute shortages of essential medicines and food. A top official from the World Health Organization (WHO) has described the starvation of children in Gaza as “an abomination.” The United Nations reports a sharp increase in cases of malnourished pregnant and breastfeeding women, leading to a rise in underweight newborns.
Aid Blockade and International Response
The UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) reports that nearly 3,000 aid trucks are currently waiting at Gaza’s border, prevented from entering due to the Israeli blockade. Volker Turk, the UN human rights chief, has warned that this blockade threatens the very existence of Palestinians in Gaza. The UN is demanding that Israel lift the blockade and allow humanitarian aid to enter immediately, emphasizing that the act of starving civilians as a military tactic constitutes a war crime.
Context of the Conflict
The situation in Gaza is a continuation of a longer conflict, stemming from the October 7, 2023 attacks in Israel and the subsequent Israeli military actions in Gaza. Since the resumption of conflict, following a ceasefire that ended in March 2025, Gaza has faced continuous airstrikes and a severe blockade, contributing to the deaths of over 47,000 people, as reported by the Red Cross.