Israel denies responsibility for delays in aid distribution, following a tragic incident in Gaza where a family of seven was brutally slain.
In the midst of the ongoing conflict in Gaza, a widespread discussion on social media is taking place, with tens of thousands of Israelis debating the war's impact. The debate in Israel, however, is only now gaining traction due to pressure on journalists to carry out their basic duties[1].
The crisis in Gaza has resulted in **mass starvation** as the population is virtually cut off from sufficient food, water, and medical care. Over 20 months of war, including Israeli airstrikes, bombings, and ground fighting, have devastated Gaza, killing more than 50,000 Palestinians and displacing 1.9 million people, most of whom now lack access to basic necessities[2].
Malnutrition rates have soared, especially among young children and pregnant or breastfeeding women. At clinics run by organizations like Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), about 25% of children age 6 months to 5 years and pregnant women are malnourished, with severe malnutrition tripling in recent weeks. Staff report that even healthcare workers struggle to find adequate food, illustrating the severity of the crisis. These conditions are aggravated by Israeli forces restricting aid entry and the targeting of Palestinians seeking food at distribution points, resulting in hundreds of deaths and injuries during aid collection[3].
The food crisis is widely recognized as one of the worst seen since the conflict began in late 2023, with UN and local health officials attributing many recent deaths directly to starvation or desperate food-seeking efforts. Israeli authorities restrict aid deliveries under the claim that Hamas intercepts supplies, but this has compounded civilian suffering. Aid efforts are currently limited, with a U.S.-backed organization (Gaza Humanitarian Foundation) the primary conduit, and distribution sites have been targeted with attacks and looting[4].
Efforts to alleviate the crisis include aid deliveries—water, food, medical supplies, early childhood education, and cash assistance—by international organizations like the International Rescue Committee and the Red Cross/Red Crescent. Aid workers call for ceasefires to safely expand humanitarian access and protect civilians and infrastructure. The Red Cross reports treating thousands of weapon-wounded patients while trying to provide aid despite escalating violence and attacks on distribution points. However, with continued hostilities and blockades, nearly a quarter of Gaza's population (around 470,000 people) faces imminent starvation, and mass casualty events related to aid distribution have increased since new distribution sites opened in May 2025[1][2][3][4].
The UK Ambassador to the UN slammed the Israeli-run aid distribution network as "inhumane, ineffective, dangerous, and fuelling instability." The World Health Organization reported that 21 children under the age of five died of malnutrition so far this year. Approximately 2.1 million people in Gaza are "totally dependent" on humanitarian assistance, and more than 80% of the population has very poor access to food, contributing to the dire situation and spreading starvation in the Gaza Strip[5].
In a heart-wrenching incident, a family of seven was killed in Israeli strikes or gunfire, according to health officials. Some relatives retrieved the bodies of the deceased from the rubble, while the corpses of another family were lying outside their bombed home with their names written on white shrouds[6]. Ten more Palestinians died overnight from starvation, according to the Gaza health ministry.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs stated that any punitive measures against them will only add to the obstacles preventing humanitarians from reaching people facing hunger, displacement, and deprivation. The Israeli ambassador to the UN accused the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) of becoming "a tool of Hamas." The movement of food aid from platforms at the border into Gaza is proving to be a real challenge[7].
As the crisis deepens, calls for international intervention and adherence to international humanitarian law are growing louder. The situation in Gaza remains critical, with mass starvation and malnutrition affecting a significant portion of the population.
References: [1] Haaretz. (2025, May 15). Debate in Israel over the war is 'only now starting' due to pressure on journalists to do their basic job. Retrieved from https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.amp [2] Al Jazeera. (2025, May 15). Over 20 months of war in Gaza: A humanitarian crisis worsens. Retrieved from https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/5/15/over-20-months-of-war-in-gaza-a-humanitarian-crisis-worsens [3] Middle East Eye. (2025, May 15). Israel restricts aid entry, targets Palestinians seeking food in Gaza. Retrieved from https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-restricts-aid-entry-targets-palestinians-seeking-food-gaza [4] UN OCHA. (2025, May 15). U.S.-backed organization becomes the primary conduit for aid in Gaza. Retrieved from https://www.unocha.org/gaza [5] The Guardian. (2025, May 15). UK ambassador to the UN slams Israeli-run aid distribution network in Gaza. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/15/uk-ambassador-to-the-un-slams-israeli-run-aid-distribution-network-in-gaza [6] Associated Press. (2025, May 15). Family of seven killed in Israeli strikes or gunfire in Gaza. Retrieved from https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-strip-middle-east-conflict-human-interest-e430086f6c14d1119a75a6e938a606c3 [7] Reuters. (2025, May 15). Israeli ambassador to the UN accuses UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs of becoming "a tool of Hamas." Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-ambassador-un-accuses-un-office-coordination-humanitarian-affairs-becoming-2025-05-15/
- The ongoing conflict in Gaza not only affects the general news landscape but also plays a significant role in health-and-wellness discussions, as mass starvation linked to the crisis has become evident due to the lack of access to food, water, and medical care.
- In light of the medical-conditions crisis, malnutrition rates, particularly among children and pregnant women, have soared, with about 25% of children and pregnant women under the care of organizations like Médecins Sans Frontières being malnourished.
- Despite calls for ceasefires, increased pressure on humanitarian aid due to war-and-conflicts has made nutrition an essential element in the health-and-wellness debate, with nearly a quarter of Gaza's population facing imminent starvation.
- In the realm of politics, international organizations, such as the Red Cross/Red Crescent and the International Rescue Committee, are urging for humanitarian aid deliveries and access expansion to alleviate the nutrition-related medical-conditions crisis facing the Gaza Strip.
