Nigeria: Israeli activists protest Gaza food shortages

By Zuleihat Owuiye, Mamos Nigeria

Israeli activists gathered at HaBima Square in Tel Aviv to protest the ongoing food shortage and forced displacement of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The protesters marched towards the Israeli Defence Ministry headquarters, bearing placards with inscriptions like “Starvation is a War Crime; We are all responsible, it is being done in our name.”

Hundreds of thousands are on the brink of starvation. Humanitarian organisations have raised the alarm over worsening malnutrition, with aid convoys reportedly blocked at the border. Medical sources reported that 21 children died within 72 hours from severe hunger and malnutrition.

Hospitals in Gaza are overwhelmed with patients suffering from acute food deprivation. The International Middle East Media Centre reports that 900,000 children in Gaza are now suffering from hunger, with 70,000 having reached the malnutrition stage. Pregnant women and the elderly are also severely affected.

The Council of the League of Arab States has called for immediate international action to halt Israeli military operations and ensure unimpeded delivery of aid. Palestinian professional unions have issued a joint appeal calling on their international counterparts to speak out against the “systematic starvation policy.”

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has declared that humanitarian conditions in Gaza have reached “unprecedented levels.” Over 2.1 million people face starvation, with little access to food, clean water, or shelter. The UN Relief and Works Agency has reported that malnutrition rates among children under five doubled between March and June, with over 5,500 children diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition.