121 children among 317 people died of starvation in Gaza since October 2023, Health Ministry says
At least 62,996 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip since October 2023, the Health Ministry said on Thursday.
A statement from the ministry said 71 people were killed and 339 others injured in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of injuries to 159,266.
The ministry also reported four new fatalities from starvation and malnutrition, including two children, raising the total famine-related deaths to 317, among them 121 children.
“Many victims remain trapped under rubble or on the streets,” the ministry said, noting that rescue teams are still unable to reach victims due to ongoing Israeli bombardment and lack of equipment.
Since March 18, when Israel resumed its military campaign after breaking a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement, the health ministry said 11,121 Palestinians have been killed and 47,225 injured.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces continued to target civilians seeking humanitarian aid, killing 22 people and injuring 203 others in the last 24 hours.
According to the ministry, 2,180 Palestinians have been killed and more than 16,046 injured by Israeli fire while seeking aid since May 27.
The new deaths came as Gaza’s Government Media Office warned that aid deliveries remain far below urgent needs.
It said only 467 trucks entered the enclave over the past five days out of 3,000 planned, with most of the 2,654 trucks that arrived in the past month looted “with Israeli complicity.”
Israel has kept all crossings into Gaza closed since March 2, blocking the entry of humanitarian aid despite thousands of relief trucks waiting at the border. In recent weeks, Tel Aviv has allowed in only limited quantities of assistance, which officials say do not cover even the minimum needs of the territory’s 2.4 million population.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice over its war on the enclave.
