Gaza Ceasefire Broken as Hunger Crisis Grows
On Sunday, the Israeli army said it would stop fighting every day from 10 am to 8 pm in parts of Gaza. These areas include al-Mawasi, Deir el-Balah, and Gaza City. They also promised to open roads for aid between 6 am and 11 pm.
But just a few hours after the pause started, Israeli planes bombed Gaza City. This was one of the areas they called “safe.” According to reports, a bakery was hit in an air strike.
Many countries are now speaking out because of the hunger and suffering in Gaza.
Starvation Gets Worse
Gaza’s Health Ministry said six more people, including two children, died from hunger in the last 24 hours. Since October 2023, 133 people have died of starvation. One of them was a five-month-old baby girl named Zainab Abu Haleeb. Her mother cried, saying her daughter had died even after three months in the hospital.
The World Food Programme (WFP) said one out of every three people in Gaza has not eaten for days. Almost 500,000 people are living in “famine-like” conditions. The World Health Organization said over 20% of pregnant and breastfeeding women are malnourished.
A mother, Falestine Ahmed, told Al Jazeera she lost one-third of her body weight. Her son is also very sick from hunger.
Aid Drops Not Enough
Israel said it allowed more aid into Gaza. UAE and Jordan also dropped supplies from the air. But the aid is not enough, and it’s dangerous. One aid drop hurt 11 people when it fell on a tent area.
Even with the hunger crisis, Israel says famine is not happening. But mothers like Smoud Wahdan say their children have not eaten in a week. Another mother, Tahani, said her sick child is also starving.
Health Workers Overwhelmed
Liz Allcock, a health worker in Gaza, said people look like “skin and bones.” She said one-fourth of Gaza’s people are close to starving. She also said money is useless because there’s nothing to buy.
The UN says Israel must let aid trucks pass through checkpoints quickly. UN aid chief Tom Fletcher said the small changes are not enough. “A lot more help is needed fast,” he warned.
World Leaders Speak Out
French President Emmanuel Macron said he talked with leaders from Turkey and Egypt about Gaza. He wants a new peace meeting in New York. He also said France will soon recognize Palestine as a state.
Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Israel is breaking international law by blocking food aid. But he added Australia is not ready to recognize Palestine yet.
In the U.S., Secretary of State Marco Rubio said peace talks are moving forward. He said there could be a deal soon, and more Israeli hostages may be released.
Violence Still Rising
Gaza’s Health Ministry said 88 Palestinians were killed and 374 wounded in the last 24 hours.
Since October, over 59,821 Palestinians have been killed, and more than 144,000 injured.
Even with talk of peace, the fighting is still going on.
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