Struggling Gaza: Five Dead, Including Two Children, Amid Persisting Malnutrition
The Israeli security cabinet has announced plans to deploy Israeli armed forces into the heart of Gaza City, potentially beginning in October. This decision, however, has sparked widespread protests within the Israeli government and opposition, as well as among families of hostages held by Hamas and the Israeli public.
Protests have erupted across the country, with massive demonstrations taking place in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. The United Nations has warned that two million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are now at risk of a "generalized famine," with over 10 victims of Israeli fire and another five people, including two children, having died of malnutrition in the Gaza Strip.
The current conflict between Israel and the Gaza Strip escalated dramatically following a large-scale Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which claimed over 1,300 Israeli lives, injured thousands, and resulted in the taking of hundreds of hostages by Hamas. In response, Israel declared war, mobilizing extensive military reserves and launching a sustained aerial assault on Gaza, followed by a "complete siege" cutting off essential supplies like water, electricity, food, and fuel to Gaza.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) then began ground operations, notably surrounding Gaza City by early November 2023 and initiating a siege there. The conflict caused massive displacement, with over 1.4 million Palestinians internally displaced within Gaza just weeks into the war and becoming the deadliest for Palestinians since 1948. Death toll estimates indicate that by mid-2025, over 60,000 Palestinians had been killed and more than 144,000 injured in Gaza, while around 1,700 Israelis were also killed in the conflict.
Israeli military actions included targeted airstrikes against militant infrastructure and fighters but also hit civilian sites, including UN-run schools, hospitals, and refugee camps, causing significant civilian casualties and international outcry. Humanitarian efforts faced dire challenges; the siege and combat operations created a severe humanitarian crisis with over two million Palestinians lacking sufficient water, food, or medical care.
Internationally, there were efforts to negotiate hostage releases, with Qatar playing a mediator role and facilitating limited exchanges. A temporary truce in late November 2023 allowed some humanitarian aid and prisoner exchanges, but fighting resumed thereafter. The United States exerted pressure on Israel to moderate military operations, signaling a shift toward lower-intensity campaigns in early 2024. Protests and diplomatic responses occurred globally, including Turkey recalling its ambassador over humanitarian concerns and Israel's refusal to accept ceasefire calls.
In the midst of this ongoing conflict, the Israeli army has reportedly been preparing to take control of the city of Gaza, largely destroyed in the north of the territory, while distributing humanitarian aid outside combat zones. The civilian population will be allowed to leave combat zones and move to safe zones where they will receive food and medicine. The exact timeline for the military operation to occupy Gaza City is still unknown.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has announced a plan to occupy Gaza City, with the goal of ending the war and defeating Hamas. The plan is facing strong international criticism, with the exception of the United States. Netanyahu reiterates his no to any compromise with the Islamic movement, Hamas. The death toll in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, has exceeded 61,000.
Amidst the international outcry, a meeting of the United Nations Security Council is taking place today in New York regarding the situation in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli government is considering a lawsuit against the New York Times for presenting false images of the situation in Gaza. Netanyahu denies claims that the 11-week blockade on the Gaza Strip is part of a "policy of famine" or "genocide," and accuses the media of distorting the narrative and presenting false images of malnourished Palestinian children.
In a recent development, over 217 people have died since the beginning of the conflict in the Gaza Strip, including 100 children. A security zone will be established at the border with Israel to prevent future terrorist infiltrations. The Israeli plan includes the establishment of a predominant Israeli security presence in Gaza.
- The United Nations has issued a statement expressing concern about the escalating war-and-conflicts between Israel and the Gaza Strip, warning of the potential risk of a generalized famine in the region.
- The Israeli government's decision to deploy its armed forces into Gaza City has sparked ongoing protests within the Israeli politics and general-news media, with accusations of human rights violations and controversial policies being levied against the government.
