Gaza is suffering man-made mass starvation caused by a blockade on aid into the Palestinian enclave, World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said.
“The 2.1 million people trapped in the war zone that is Gaza are facing yet another killer on top of bombs and bullets: starvation. We’re now witnessing a deadly surge in malnutrition-related deaths.
“Since July 17, severe acute malnutrition centres are full without sufficient supplies for emergency feeding. In 2025, WHO has documented 21 deaths related to malnutrition of children under five years old. Rates of global acute malnutrition exceed 10 per cent, and over 20pc of pregnant and breastfeeding women that have been screened are malnourished, often severely.
“As you know, mass starvation means starvation of a large proportion of a population. And a large proportion of the population of Gaza is starving. I don’t know what you would call it other than mass starvation. And it’s man-made. And that’s very clear. And this is because of the blockade.”
He spoke following an appeal by more than 100 aid agencies warning of hunger in Gaza while tonnes of food, clean water and medical supplies sit untouched just outside the territory.
Four leading news organisations said yesterday that their journalists in Gaza are facing the threat of starvation as the Israel-Hamas war grinds on. The media outlets’ joint statement called on Israel to allow journalists in and out of Gaza and allow adequate food supplies into the territory.
“For many months, these independent journalists have been the world’s eyes and ears on the ground in Gaza. They are now facing the same dire circumstances as those they are covering,” said the joint statement by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, Reuters and the BBC.
Israel says it is committed to allowing in aid but must control it to prevent it from being diverted by fighters. It says it has let enough food into Gaza during the war and blames Hamas for the suffering of Gaza’s population.
Also yesterday, Hamas confirmed it had sent its latest ceasefire proposal to Israel, with an Israeli official calling it ‘workable’, although no details were provided.
Yotam Ottolenghi, the Jerusalem-born British chef and bestselling author condemned ‘famine’ in Gaza. He said the level of hunger in Gaza is ‘shocking beyond belief’.
In a post on social media, he said he’s adding his voice to global calls for Israel to halt its attacks on Gaza and let aid flow without restriction.
“The sequence of events leading to this moment – with victims on both sides – cannot justify withholding food from a whole population,” he said. “This goes against any value I was raised on.”
Ottolenghi wrote a book with Palestinian Sami Tamimi called Jerusalem, covering Arab and Jewish cooking in the holy city.
Meanwhile, Israel and the US recalled their delegations from Gaza ceasefire talks for consultations yesterday, with US envoy Steve Witkoff accusing Hamas of failing to act in good faith in the talks.
“While the mediators have made a great effort, Hamas does not appear to be co-ordinated or acting in good faith. We will now consider alternative options to bring the hostages home and try to create a more stable environment for the people of Gaza,” Witkoff said in a statement on X.
More than 60 members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have called for an urgent meeting to take action against Israel, according to a letter sent to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas yesterday.
“While children are starving, the EU is responding with weak words and no actions. We are writing to you today and demand urgent action, given the appalling humanitarian situation in Gaza and the continued Israeli attacks on Palestinians in aid distribution areas, which have so far resulted in the deaths of more than 1,000 people,” the letter added.
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