The ongoing Israeli siege of Gaza has led to the deaths of at least 66 children due to malnutrition, according to officials in the Palestinian enclave, as restrictions continue to block essential supplies like milk, nutritional supplements, and food aid.
Gaza’s Government Media Office issued a statement on Saturday condemning Israel’s escalating blockade and military operations, which they say are deliberately using hunger as a weapon against civilians. Israeli airstrikes have intensified across the territory, killing at least 60 Palestinians, including 20 in Gaza City’s Tuffah neighbourhood.
The media office described the blockade as a "war crime" and accused Israel of committing an "ongoing crime against children in Gaza," criticising what it called the international community’s "shameful silence" over the suffering of children facing hunger, illness, and slow death.
The statement also blamed Israel and its allies—including the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Germany—for the worsening humanitarian crisis and called on the United Nations to immediately facilitate the opening of Gaza's border crossings to allow life-saving aid in.
The announcement comes as UNICEF warns of a sharp rise in child malnutrition in Gaza. The UN agency reported that in May alone, at least 5,119 children between six months and five years old were treated for acute malnutrition—a nearly 50% increase from April and a 150% spike compared to February, when a temporary ceasefire allowed significant humanitarian aid to enter.
UNICEF’s Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Edouard Beigbeder, said over 16,700 children were treated for malnutrition between January and May—an average of 112 children each day.
“These cases are entirely preventable,” Beigbeder said. “The food, water, and nutrition supplies they desperately need are being deliberately blocked. These are man-made decisions costing lives. Israel must immediately allow large-scale delivery of aid through all crossings.”
Israeli attacks intensify in northern Gaza
Meanwhile, Israeli bombardments have continued, killing 60 Palestinians on Saturday alone. In the Tuffah neighbourhood of Gaza City, two consecutive airstrikes destroyed several residential buildings, killing at least 20 people, including nine children.
“We were sitting peacefully when we received a phone call from a private number ordering us to evacuate immediately,” said Mahmoud al-Nakhala, a local resident. “Moments later, the entire block was reduced to rubble. We still don’t understand why our homes were targeted.”
Airstrikes also hit tents sheltering displaced families in Gaza City, killing at least 13 more people, many of them children. In southern Rafah, a person was shot dead near an aid distribution site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US-backed group operating in the besieged enclave.
Gazan officials say Israeli forces have killed over 550 people at or near GHF distribution points since the organisation began operations on May 19. Despite criticism, GHF remains the only major source of food for many in Gaza as Israel continues to heavily restrict the entry of aid from other organisations.
Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud, reporting from Gaza, said many residents fear approaching GHF sites due to repeated shootings targeting civilians, but the dire food shortages leave them with little choice.
“There’s real danger going to these centres, but if people don’t risk it, their children will go hungry,” Mahmoud explained.
Aid groups have condemned the militarisation of humanitarian aid, with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calling the GHF's approach "unsafe" and saying it is "killing people." Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that Israeli soldiers have been ordered to fire on unarmed Palestinians at GHF distribution sites, with one soldier describing the scene as a "killing field," though the Israeli military has denied these allegations.
Chris Doyle, director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding, called the aid distribution system a "disgrace" and an "inversion of all humanitarian principles."
“Hundreds have died simply trying to get food,” Doyle said. “Families face long, dangerous journeys for basic necessities, uncertain if they’ll return home.”
He added that Israel’s actions are yet another example of its "complete impunity" regarding international law and urged for an immediate overhaul of the aid system to ensure proper, safe delivery to Gaza’s starving population.