Since dawn on Wednesday, airstrikes have rocked both central and southern Gaza, claiming at least seven lives. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, over 2,300 Palestinians have been killed since March 18, when Israel broke the ceasefire with Hamas. The latest assaults have left families mourning loved ones and hospitals overwhelmed with critically injured victims.

In Gaza City, journalist Hani Mahmoud reported from the ground: “Explosions and airstrikes have targeted residential blocks in both the northern and southern parts of the Gaza Strip.” One such attack occurred in the northern city of Beit Hanoun, where three people were killed and several others critically wounded. The injured were rushed to the nearby Indonesian Hospital, already strained by the influx of casualties.

Meanwhile, in the southern city of Khan Younis, a drone strike early in the morning killed three farmers. Eyewitnesses said the victims were en route to their farmland when a missile struck. These farmers were attempting to grow food amid an acute shortage, doing what they could to provide for a population on the brink of starvation. Their deaths not only highlight the human cost of war but also reflect a devastating trend: the systematic targeting of Gaza’s agricultural efforts.

“The attack on farmers is not just an act of violence—it’s a deliberate strategy that undermines food security,” Mahmoud explained. “It exacerbates the already critical shortage of food and water, and pushes Gaza closer to the brink of famine.”

As if the bombings weren’t enough, humanitarian aid remains blocked. Over 3,000 aid trucks, packed with essential supplies—food, medicine, water, and hygiene products—are stalled just miles from Gaza’s border. The trucks are less than an hour away from the Kerem Shalom crossing, yet they remain immobilized due to a lack of safe passage and coordination.

“There are a million children relying on those trucks,” said Mahmoud. “Without them, we are facing an imminent humanitarian catastrophe.”

The situation in Gaza is further worsened by the inability of civilians to access the remaining food supplies. Warehouses located in areas under heavy Israeli military operations are unreachable, and their contents are rapidly spoiling or destroyed.

The United Nations has expressed deep concern about the growing risk of famine and dehydration across the territory, calling for immediate and unhindered humanitarian access. Still, the bombardment continues, and with it, the suffering of Gaza’s civilian population.

This conflict is not just about military action—it is about the survival of a besieged population being systematically deprived of food, water, and safety. The world must not turn away from Gaza. The time to act is now.

News source- Al Jazeera

Israel had previously allowed over 40,000 trucks to deliver more than half a million tons of food to Gaza, providing over 3,000 calories per person. Despite this, the humanitarian situation remains dire. By January 2024, 1.1 million people in Gaza were suffering from “catastrophic food insecurity” (IPC Phase 5), the final stage before famine. This crisis has been exacerbated by the longstanding blockade, which has hindered resources and imports for over 18 years.

The conflict has also devastated Gaza’s infrastructure. Food stores have been bombed, farmers killed, and those trying to provide food for the population have been targeted. One particularly tragic event was the “Flower Massacre,” where survivors risked their lives in the hopes of saving their children from starvation.

International condemnation is growing, with several nations and human rights organizations accusing Israel of violating international law by using starvation as a weapon of war. The question now is whether the global community will take action to hold those responsible accountable for these atrocities.

News source- Al Jazeera