Death Toll Due To Starvation And Acute Malnutrition In Gaza Continues To Increase

JAKARTA - The death toll of children and adults from hunger and malnutrition continues to grow in the Gaza Strip, as the humanitarian crisis takes place in the Palestinian enclave amid Israeli aggression and blockades.

A medical source in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday announced eight Palestinians had died from hunger and malnutrition in Gaza in the past 24 hours.

They confirmed that among the victims there was a child and seven adults, bringing the total death toll from hunger to 188, including 94 children, according to WAFA Aug. 5.

The ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip continues to worsen due to the blockade and lack of food and medical supplies. This severe hunger is closely related to the genocide war that Israel has waged since October 7, 2023.

Since March 2, 2025, occupation authorities have closed all crossings into the Gaza Strip, blocking the entry of most food and medical aids, which accelerates the spread of hunger in the Palestinian enclave.

The United Nations Agency for Assistance and Work for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has warned that malnutrition in children under five has doubled between March and June due to the ongoing blockade.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirms the level of malnutrition in Gaza has reached an alarming rate, with nearly one in five children under five under five in Gaza City suffering from acute malnutrition.

It is known that the latest conflict in Gaza broke out after a Palestinian militant group attacked Israel's southern region on October 7, 2023, leaving 1,200 people dead and another 251 held hostage according to Israeli calculations.

Israel responded to this by blocking, airstrikes and military operations in the Gaza Strip region.

Israel and the Palestinian militant group agreed to a ceasefire as well as exchange of hostages and detainees on January 19. At least 20 of the remaining 50 hostages in Gaza are believed to be still alive. The majority of the initial hostages have been released through diplomatic negotiations, although the Israeli military has also released several hostages.

On March 2, Israel again carried out a total blockade against Gaza on the pretext of pressuring Palestinian militant groups to agree on a ceasefire proposed by the United States and a exchange of hostages. Over the end of the ceasefire agreement, Israel resumed military operations in Gaza on March 18.

Meanwhile, medical sources on Tuesday confirmed that Palestinian deaths in Gaza since Israeli aggression in October 2023 had reached 61,020, the majority of women and children, while injuries reached 150,671 people.