GAZA: Humanitarian Catastrophe Unfolds as Famine Grips Enclave
Doctors in Gaza are witnessing a heartbreaking scene as emaciated patients reflect the growing humanitarian crisis in the war-torn enclave. International experts have confirmed that famine has taken hold of parts of Gaza, leaving its residents in dire straits.
At Al-Ahli Hospital, Texas spinal surgeon Mohammed Adeel Khaleel recounted the story of a 17-year-old gunshot victim whose body showed signs of severe malnutrition. The teenager, with protruding ribs, gestured to his mouth to express his hunger.
Describing the situation, Khaleel said, “The level of hunger is really what’s heartbreaking. It’s beyond imagination.”
On Friday, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) officially declared Gaza City to be in a state of famine, after months of warnings about the consequences of Israel’s blockade and military actions in the region.
Gaza’s Health Ministry reported eight more deaths due to malnutrition in the 24 hours following the famine declaration, bringing the total to at least 281 since the start of the war. The U.S. nonprofit MedGlobal highlighted that one in six children under 5 in Gaza is suffering from acute malnutrition.
Israel refuted the famine designation, labeling it as “an outright lie” and accusing Hamas of hindering aid distribution. However, the United Nations and relief groups argue that Israeli restrictions and chaos on the ground are obstructing food supplies to the most vulnerable.
Doctors at Shifa Hospital pointed to alarming cases of malnutrition, with patients like a 15-year-old girl struggling with weight loss after surviving airstrikes. Shortages of nutritional supplements have exacerbated the impact of injuries on individuals like 20-year-old Karam Akoumeh.
Dr. Mohammad Kuheil, the nutrition chief at Shifa Hospital, emphasized the lack of essential protein sources like meat, chicken, dairy, and fruit, stating that only legumes are available.
Displaced families, such as Dalia Shamali who fled Gaza City’s Shijaiyah neighborhood, expressed their desperation, saying, “We’re starving. We eat once a day.”
The IPC warned that without an immediate ceasefire and increased humanitarian access, famine is likely to spread further in Gaza. – Agencies
