The Israeli defense forces have caused the deaths of many individuals in Gaza as the hunger crisis worsens, drawing global criticism, with additional Palestinians succumbing to starvation.
Medical sources informed Al Jazeera that Israeli strikes resulted in the deaths of at least 71 individuals throughout Gaza on Saturday, with 42 of them urgently in need of assistance.
The Gaza Ministry of Health reported that hospitals have documented five additional fatalities resulting from hunger caused by the Israeli blockade of the area, increasing the overall death count from malnutrition to 127 since the conflict started. Among the victims are 85 children.
Frustration growing globally due to the crisis, Israel declared late Saturday that it would temporarily halt its attacks “in civilian areas and humanitarian corridors” on Sunday to allow for the delivery of aid.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not identify the particular regions that would experience a “humanitarian pause.”
The ministry once more accused the United Nations of not delivering aid to Gaza, a statement that has been dismissed by both the UN and various humanitarian and rights organizations.
UN officials have stated that this Israeli claim is untrue, emphasizing that they have not obtained the required permissions to safely deliver aid to the encircled area.
The impact of airdrops is ‘equivalent to nothing’
The Israeli defense forces mentioned that they conducted air drops of international relief supplies into Gaza. The United Arab Emirates, which maintains strong economic and political connections with Israel, also announced that it will start dropping aid into Gaza “immediately”.
However, humanitarian specialists have been cautioning since last year that aerial deliveries pose risks to individuals below and cannot replace secure land routes for distributing food and medical aid.
Earlier Saturday, Philippe Lazzarini, the leader of the UN agency supporting Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, described airdrops as a costly and ineffective “diversion” that would “not alleviate the worsening hunger.”
Lazzarini urged Israel to “end the blockade, open the entrances [and] ensure safe passage [and] respectful access for those in need.”
Covering from Gaza City, Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud questioned the recently announced Israeli actions.
He stated that the impact of the airdrops is “equivalent to nothing.”
” We’re discussing just seven pallets of aid containing flour and other essential items. That’s roughly the cargo of a single truck, or half of one, arriving through the crossings into the Gaza Strip,” Mahmoud stated.
He mentioned witnesses who reported that the airdrops occurred close to a restricted military zone in northern Gaza, which made recovering them in the darkness particularly challenging.
Similarly, Mahmoud stated that Israel’s plan to introduce so-called “humanitarian pauses” in Gaza beginning on Sunday will not significantly impact the hunger crisis.
“Once more, this isn’t a fix when discussing reaching the tipping point of this forced hunger, and based on medical sources we spoke with earlier today, they confirmed that at this stage, we will witness large-scale death from starvation,” he stated.
With hunger increasing, Israel continues its daily attacks on Gaza.
At least six individuals lost their lives in an Israeli drone strike targeting a tent camp in al-Mawasi, close to Khan Younis, on Saturday. The region, established as a safe zone by Israel, has been repeatedly subjected to lethal attacks from Israeli forces.
In the meantime, the Civil Defence agency in Gaza states that none of its vehicles will be capable of providing life-saving services in the near future because of poor condition and insufficient fuel, urging the global community to take action.
“we emphasize the importance of immediate action to urge the israeli occupation authorities to permit the entry of fuel and vehicle repair components,” the civil defense stated in a declaration.
Although certain Western nations have issued vigorous statements opposing Israel’s actions in Gaza, supporters are urging genuine repercussions to promote responsibility and prevent additional Israeli misconduct. Potential punitive measures against Israel have been suggested.
Handala ship intercepted
Not long after announcing its airdrop plans, the Israeli military conducted an operation on a vessel operated by international activists that was transporting infant formula, food, and medical supplies to Gaza.
A live broadcast captured Israeli troops boarding and stopping the Handala ship, which had 19 activists aboard. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, responsible for organizing the aid ship, stated that the vessel was forcefully taken in international waters.
The unarmored vessel was transporting essential aid when it was approached by Israeli forces, its crew taken into custody, and its goods confiscated,” the coalition stated in a press release. “The incident took place in international waters beyond Palestinian territorial waters near Gaza, which constitutes a breach of international maritime law.
It remains uncertain what will become of the advocates. Last month, Israel seized the Madleen aid vessel and towed it to an Israeli ship, where the activists were detained, questioned, and subsequently deported.
Ann Wright, part of the Freedom Flotilla Steering Committee, urged the safeguarding of international activists by their respective nations.
“Shield innocent international individuals who are simply carrying a small quantity of aid—medical and food—as a representation of global anger over Israel’s actions,” Wright said to Al Jazeera.
The Gaza Government Media Office described the seizure of Handala as an act of piracy.
“This obvious act of aggression constitutes a significant breach of international law and maritime navigation rules, and it once again demonstrates that the [Israeli] occupation behaves like a bully beyond the reach of the law,” the office stated in a release.
