29 Children And Elderly Died As A Result Of Starvation In Gaza Strip

JAKARTA - Palestinian Health Minister said on Thursday 29 children and the elderly had died from hunger in the Gaza Strip in recent days and thousands more were threatened.

Food aid is expected to begin reaching Gazans on Thursday after Israel allowed the first trucks to pass following an 11-week blockade, but Palestinian officials and aid said it was only a small part of what was needed.

"In recent days we have lost 29 children," Palestinian Health Minister Majed Abu Ramadan told reporters, describing them as "deaths from hunger".

Ramadan then clarified that this number includes the elderly and children.

When asked to respond to previous comments by the head of UN aid to the BBC that 14,000 babies could die without help, he said: "The figure of 14,000 is very realistic and may even be "cancellible" (as it is)."

Abu Ramadan said only seven or eight hospitals out of 36 hospitals in Gaza were partially functioning, and more than 90 percent of the medical stock is now empty due to the blockade.

"My information is that very few shipments have entered Gaza, 90-100 trucks are full and in the southern and central zones," he said.

When asked if there was any medical supply among them, he said: "As far as I know it's just flour for bakeries."

Israel imposed a blockade on all supplies in March, saying Hamas confiscated shipments for its fighters, allegations the group denies. Earlier this month, global hunger monitors said that half a million people in the Gaza Strip were facing starvation.