More than 100 humanitarian and rights organizations issued an urgent plea on Wednesday calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, warning that mass starvation is sweeping the enclave as food supplies remain blocked at the border. The statement, signed by 111 groups including Mercy Corps, the Norwegian Refugee Council, and Refugees International, blamed Israeli restrictions for a humanitarian collapse they described as "chaos, starvation, and death."
"As the Israeli government's siege starves the people of Gaza, aid workers are now joining the same food lines, risking being shot just to feed their families," the organizations said. "With supplies now totally depleted, humanitarian organisations are witnessing their own colleagues and partners waste away before their eyes."
The groups demanded all land crossings be opened and bureaucratic hurdles removed to ensure unrestricted aid access across Gaza. "States must pursue concrete measures to end the siege, such as halting the transfer of weapons and ammunition," the statement read.
Palestinian health officials say that at least 101 people have died from hunger, including 80 children, while over 800 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in recent weeks while attempting to retrieve food near distribution centers. The UN confirmed that many of the deaths occurred near sites managed by a U.S.-contracted entity, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which has faced criticism for alleged bias.
Shifa Hospital Director Mohammed Abu Salmiya said at least three children have died from malnutrition in his wards. "They were just skin and bones. All vital organs were failing. They were on their last gasp," he told The Independent. "Even the milk in the mothers' breasts has dried up."
Medical staff themselves are now collapsing from hunger. "Some medical staff were admitted to the hospital to receive intravenous fluids," Abu Salmiya said. UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini added: "No one is spared: caretakers in Gaza are also in need of care."
Israeli forces have killed nearly 60,000 Palestinians since the war began in October 2023 following a Hamas-led attack that left 1,200 Israelis dead and over 250 hostages taken. For the first time, Palestinian authorities say dozens are now dying of hunger, not just airstrikes.
The Norwegian Refugee Council told Reuters its staff were now starving. "Our last tent, our last food parcel, our last relief items have been distributed. There is nothing left," said Jan Egeland, the organization's director. "Israel is not yielding. They just want to paralyse our work."
The World Food Programme reported that a rare convoy entering Gaza on Sunday came under fire from Israeli tanks and snipers. The UN has confirmed that over 870 Palestinians have been killed seeking food at such distribution sites.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres called the current conditions a "horror show," while Amnesty International accused Israel of using starvation as a weapon of war. Israel denies these claims. There is "no ban or restriction on the entry of baby formula or baby food into Gaza," said COGAT, the Israeli military unit coordinating aid.
Despite such denials, civilians say they are at breaking point. "We are in a situation where we cannot buy food even if we have money," said Ihab Abudallah, a university lecturer supporting a family of nine. One kilo of sugar now costs nearly $100, and rice is selling for $30.
