Malnutrition Crisis Grips Gaza Amidst Blockade and Escalating Conflict
Medical professionals and aid organizations are raising alarms about escalating malnutrition across Gaza, as the Israeli embargo on essential supplies enters its fourth week. This comes as the death toll from the ongoing conflict surpasses 50,000.
Renewed Offensive Intensifies Humanitarian Concerns
Despite growing international pressure, there are no indications that Israel will ease restrictions on aid entry or de-escalate its recent military operations in Gaza. Airstrikes initiated on Tuesday, resulting in approximately 400 fatalities, predominantly civilians, marked the end of a two-month period of relative calm. Palestinian authorities reported on Sunday that the overall death toll from nearly 18 months of conflict has exceeded 50,000.
Targeted Strikes and Evacuation Orders
An airstrike in Khan Younis resulted in the death of Salah Bardawil, a Hamas political bureau member. Concurrently, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued new evacuation directives to Palestinian residents west of Rafah, near the Egyptian border, an area previously targeted in a major offensive. The IDF is currently conducting ground operations in this region.
The evacuation orders explicitly prohibited vehicular movement, following numerous reports of civilian casualties in Israeli forces’ attacks on vehicles in Gaza. The IDF stated the orders were part of an operation to “dismantle terrorist organizations” and urged civilians to “distance yourself from the combat zone immediately.”
Rising Casualty Rates and Hospital Overload
At least 19 Palestinians perished overnight, according to medical sources on Sunday. Two hospitals in southern Gaza reported receiving 17 bodies from recent strikes, including women and children. This figure excludes the Hamas official and his spouse.
Military Operations Encircle Rafah Refugee Camp
Later on Sunday, the Israeli military announced that its forces had encircled the Tal al-Sultan refugee camp in Rafah. The stated objective is to “dismantle terrorist infrastructure and eliminate” militants within the camp.
Conflict’s Devastating Toll
The conflict, initiated by a Hamas attack into Israel in October 2023 that resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths, mostly civilians, and 251 hostages taken, has now claimed the lives of over 50,000 Palestinians, predominantly civilians. Approximately 113,000 Palestinians have been wounded, according to officials.
Aid Blockade and Accusations
Israel has accused Hamas of systematic aid looting and implemented a complete blockade of supplies to Gaza immediately after the initial phase of a proposed ceasefire concluded. Hamas denies these accusations.
Diminishing Aid and Community Kitchens at Risk
Aid officials warn of impending reductions in distributions and increasing challenges in maintaining community kitchens, which provide food for approximately one million people.
A UN official in Gaza stated that supplies are dwindling and distribution is becoming increasingly perilous due to the insecure environment. “At some point we will just run out and things will get desperate … but even if we had supplies it would be very difficult to distribute them because the security environment means we can’t operate,” the official said.
Bakeries Shut Down, Food Prices Soar
Six out of 23 bakeries operated by the UN World Food Programme have ceased operations due to cooking gas shortages. UNRWA, the primary UN agency for Palestinian welfare, held approximately 60,000 bags of flour on Friday, sufficient for only six days of distribution.
The limited food available in markets has experienced drastic price increases, becoming unaffordable for most residents. Potatoes are now priced at $6 per kilogram, a five-fold increase from last month. Cooking gas cylinders are selling for $60 per kilogram, four times higher than prices before the recent fragile pause in hostilities three weeks prior.
Visible Malnutrition and Health Concerns
Dr. Khamis Elessi, a senior consultant physician in Gaza City, noted the evident signs of malnutrition, particularly among children. “It is very clear that people are underweight. The population is very young, and children need nutritious food,” Dr. Elessi stated.
Dr. Feroze Sidhwa, a volunteer emergency physician in Gaza, corroborated these observations, highlighting the impact of prolonged inadequate nutrition. “We see very clearly that everyone has lost weight … I can see my surgical incisions are not healing well,” he explained.
Displacement Hinders Aid Delivery
Aid distribution is further complicated by widespread displacement. Hisham Mhanna, spokesperson for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Gaza, described the pervasive anxiety and instability. “There is a lot of anxiety about what will happen, especially parents for their children. It is non-stop: evacuation orders, explosions, the hospitals are filled with casualties, we are now seeing food scarcity. It is very unpredictable,” Mhanna said.
“We can hear massive explosions most of the day. Reports of casualties are received every hour but the first responders cannot reach all the sites of attacks because it is too dangerous or they have no enough fuel for ambulances.”
Civilian Displacement Under Fire
In Rafah, civilians, including men, women, and children, were observed fleeing on foot along a dirt road, carrying their possessions. The majority of Gaza’s population has been displaced multiple times within the territory. Mustafa Gaber, a local journalist displaced with his family, described the situation as “displacement under fire”, adding, “There are wounded people among us. The situation is very difficult.”
Questions Raised About Israeli Offensive Objectives
Israeli media outlets have questioned whether the current offensive’s objectives are solely limited to dismantling Hamas and securing hostage release, as frequently stated by the Israeli government.
Expansion of Security Zones
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz announced on Friday that he had “instructed the IDF to seize additional territories in Gaza, evacuate the population, and expand the security zones around Gaza in order to defend the Israeli towns and IDF troops”.
Katz further stated, “The longer Hamas continues to refuse to release the hostages, the more territory it will lose that will be added to Israel.”
Plan for “Voluntary Departure” of Palestinians
On Saturday, the Israeli cabinet approved a proposal to establish a new directorate focused on advancing the “voluntary departure” of Palestinians, a concept previously suggested by Donald Trump. Legal experts contend that such a policy would likely violate international law.
Katz asserted that this new body would operate “subject to Israeli and international law” and facilitate “passage by land, sea and air to the destination countries”.
Political Unrest in Israel
Israel is experiencing significant protests, with over 100,000 people demonstrating against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s efforts to dismiss both the head of the internal security service, Ronen Bar, and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara.
Shin Bet head Ronen Bar has been investigating Netanyahu’s aides for alleged security breaches, including leaking classified information and accepting funds from Qatar. Attorney General Baharav-Miara, who has frequently clashed with the government, cautioned the Prime Minister against dismissing the intelligence chief without her office reviewing his motivations.
No-Confidence Vote Against Attorney General
In an unprecedented move on Sunday, after accusing her of obstructing government policies, the Israeli cabinet unanimously passed a no-confidence motion against Baharav-Miara.
Opposition parties and thousands of protestors in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem condemned the cabinet’s decision, describing it as an assault on Israel’s democratic system.
During clashes with police, three protestors were arrested outside Netanyahu’s residence in central Jerusalem.
Calls to Prioritize Hostage Release
There are widespread demands to prioritize the release of hostages over the military offensive against Hamas.
On Friday, 40 freed hostages and 250 family members of Israelis still held in Gaza signed a letter urging Netanyahu to end Israel’s “endless war”.
Ceasefire Agreement Breakdown
During the initial phase of the ceasefire, 25 Israeli hostages and the remains of eight others were released in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Israeli forces withdrew to a buffer zone, enabling hundreds of thousands to return to their damaged homes, and a surge in humanitarian aid occurred.
Negotiations for the second phase of the truce, involving the release of the remaining 59 hostages (35 believed deceased) in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners, a permanent cessation of hostilities, and a complete Israeli withdrawal, were scheduled to commence in early February.
However, Israel withdrew from the ceasefire agreement, proposing to extend the first phase by 30 to 60 days if Hamas released additional hostages.