United Nations: One in three Palestinians in Gaza has not eaten for days

Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, said on Monday that one in three people in Gaza has not eaten for days, urging the rapid delivery of aid and the establishment of a permanent ceasefire.

In a statement on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, Fletcher stated: “Gaza is experiencing a humanitarian catastrophe before the eyes of the world,” noting that people attempting to access food aid are being shot at, and that “children are wasting away from hunger.”

He explained that one in every three individuals in Gaza has gone without food for several days, emphasizing: “Aid must not be blocked, delayed, or distributed under fire.” He stressed that aid convoys must be granted prompt permission to cross the borders and called for an end to the targeting of people as they seek food assistance.

Gaza is enduring the worst humanitarian crisis in its history, as extreme famine overlaps with an ongoing genocidal war waged by Israel since October 7, 2023.

Since March 2, 2025, Israel has closed all crossings into the Gaza Strip, blocking the entry of most food and medical supplies, which has triggered the spread of famine across the territory.

According to the latest figures, 134 Palestinians, including 88 children, have died from famine and malnutrition since October 7, 2023.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) previously warned that malnutrition among children under five had doubled between March and June, due to the ongoing blockade.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that malnutrition levels in Gaza have reached alarming rates, stating that the deliberate siege and delayed aid deliveries have cost many lives, and that nearly one in five children under five in Gaza City suffers from acute malnutrition.

Since October 7, 2023, Israeli occupation forces have launched a military offensive on the Gaza Strip that has resulted in the killing of 59,821 Palestinians, the majority of them women and children, and the injury of 144,851 others, according to non-final tallies. Many victims remain trapped under the rubble or on the streets, unreachable by emergency and rescue teams.