At Least 57 Palestinians Died of Starving as Israel’s Blockade Keeps Aid Piled Up at Border

Starvation is tightening its grip on Gaza amid a crippling blockade enforced by Israel, with at least 57 Palestinians reported to have died from hunger, according to the Gaza Government Media Office. Meanwhile, essential humanitarian aid—desperately needed to stem a worsening crisis—remains stuck at the border, unable to cross into the besieged enclave. Exclusive images obtained by Al Jazeera on Saturday morning reveal dozens of aid trucks lined up along the international road south of Egypt’s El Arish, loaded with food, water, and medical supplies. Despite being ready for delivery, these cri

Starvation is tightening its grip on Gaza amid a crippling blockade enforced by Israel, with at least 57 Palestinians reported to have died from hunger, according to the Gaza Government Media Office. Meanwhile, essential humanitarian aid—desperately needed to stem a worsening crisis—remains stuck at the border, unable to cross into the besieged enclave. Exclusive images obtained by Al Jazeera on Saturday morning reveal dozens of aid trucks lined up along the international road south of Egypt’s El Arish, loaded with food, water, and medical supplies. Despite being ready for delivery, these critical resources are blocked from entering Gaza due to ongoing restrictions by Israeli authorities. For months, the area surrounding El Arish airport has become a choke point, as the humanitarian backlog worsens during Israel’s continuing military campaign and complete blockade of Gaza. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has issued a stark warning, saying the humanitarian response in Gaza is nearing “total collapse,” with Palestinians enduring a “daily struggle to survive.” One of the latest casualties of the crisis is a baby girl who died of malnutrition and dehydration at Rantisi Hospital in western Gaza City, more than two months after the blockade began. According to Gaza’s Government Media Office, 57 people have now starved to death, and the toll is expected to rise unless urgent humanitarian access is granted. The office has called on the international community to act immediately and pressure Israel to allow aid deliveries to resume. Beyond starvation, the overall toll of the war continues to mount. The Gaza Health Ministry reports that at least 52,495 Palestinians have been killed and 118,366 wounded since Israel launched its offensive. The Gaza Government Media Office places the death toll even higher, updating it to more than 61,700, noting that thousands more are still missing under the rubble and presumed dead. As Gaza suffers one of the worst humanitarian catastrophes in its history, the growing mountain of aid stuck at the border stands as a grim symbol of a crisis worsened by inaction and obstruction.