More than 100 humanitarian and human rights groups have reported that Israel's blockade and ongoing offensive are making the situation worse, pushing Palestinians in the Gaza Strip into starvation conditions.
The groups expressed alarm after local medical authorities said 21 more people were killed in Israeli attacks overnight.
At the same time, the administration's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff was scheduled to meet with a senior Israeli official to discuss peace talks, a sign that the lower levels of negotiations that have dragged on for weeks may be on the verge of a breakthrough.
Gaza faces the risk of famine due to the blockade and Israeli military action launched in response to the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, experts say. Israel says it allows sufficient humanitarian aid into its territory and blames UN agencies for distributing it, arguing that their actions are limited by Israeli restrictions and security deficiencies.
Hamas has announced that it will release only the remaining 50 hostages, about 20 of whom are believed to be alive, in exchange for a permanent ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal, while Israel has promised to release all captives and continue military operations until Hamas is defeated or disarmed.
In an open letter, 115 organisations, including prominent international aid groups such as Doctors Without Borders, Mercy Corps and Save the Children, said they were watching their colleagues and the Palestinians they help “wither away”.
Israeli restrictions and “massacres” at aid distribution points have been blamed. Witnesses, medical officials and the UN Human Rights Office say Israeli forces have repeatedly opened fire on crowds seeking aid, killing more than 1,000 people. Israel says its forces fired warning shots and that the casualty figures are inflated.
“The restrictions, delays and fragmentation of the Israeli government under a total blockade have led to chaos, hunger and death,” the letter said.
Israel's Foreign Ministry dismissed the criticism and accused the group of “repeating Hamas propaganda.” The ministry said it had allowed about 4,500 trucks of humanitarian aid into Gaza since the blockade was fully lifted in May, and that more than 700 were waiting to be picked up and distributed by the United Nations.
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Sourse: breakingnews.ie
