At least 57 Palestinians, primarily children, the elderly, and the infirm, have perished from hunger as Israel’s strict blockade on Gaza drags into a third month, halting essential supplies like food, water, and aid. Gaza’s Media Office slammed the move, calling it the weaponisation of hunger and appealed to the world to pressure Israel to lift the siege.

Footage aired by Al Jazeera showed hundreds of aid trucks stalled at the Rafah crossing with Egypt, unable to deliver critical goods. One of the most recent victims was infant Janan Saleh al-Sakafi, who died from severe dehydration and malnutrition at Rantisi Hospital. The UN reports that over 9,000 children have needed treatment for life-threatening undernourishment this year alone.

In the shattered streets of Gaza City, children were seen digging through garbage in hopes of finding remnants of food. Relief kitchens have shut down due to supply exhaustion, and humanitarian organisations are overwhelmed. “One meal a day is now a fantasy,” said displaced resident Ahmad al-Najjar.

Hospitals are also in deep crisis. The director of the Kuwaiti Hospital in Rafah warned of critical shortages in 75% of medications, with only a few days’ supply left. Without immediate access to humanitarian corridors, most medical services will collapse.

Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes persist, killing at least 70 more Palestinians in recent days. Gaza’s death toll now exceeds 52,000, with tens of thousands injured and many still buried under rubble.