Despite the Israel announcement of “tactical pauses” in fighting for humanitarian purposes, Israeli forces have killed at least 43 Palestinians in attacks on Gaza since the early hours of Sunday. The pauses, scheduled from 10am to 8pm local time in areas including al-Mawasi, Deir el-Balah, and Gaza City, aim to facilitate aid deliveries.
The director general of the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza, Munir al-Bursh, emphasized the need for urgent action to save lives. “Amid a temporary truce suffocated by hesitation and international silence, the wounded are crying out for help, children are starving, and mothers are collapsing over the ruins of what remains of life,” al-Bursh said in a statement on Telegram.
Al-Bursh called for the evacuation of those with serious injuries, including those requiring complex surgeries and patients at risk of death if not transferred. He also reiterated the need for medical and food supplies, including milk for children and infants, nutritional supplements, antibiotics, and glucose solutions.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has worsened, with six more Palestinians dying of starvation, including two children, bringing the total number of starvation deaths to 133, including 87 children. The Health Ministry in Gaza described the humanitarian pauses as an opportunity to save lives.
Liz Allcock of Medical Aid for Palestinians noted that humanitarian organizations would “have to play catch-up” to help Palestinians suffering from starvation. “The rate at which we may be able to bring in nutritional supplements to treat these young infants is going to be outpaced at this point by the number of children who are going to die as a result of complications directly resulting from malnutrition,” Allcock said.