New York / PNN /

UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, warned on Monday that one in every three people in Gaza has not eaten for days, calling for urgent aid delivery and a permanent ceasefire.

In a statement on the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, Fletcher said: “Gaza is facing a humanitarian catastrophe before the eyes of the world.” He noted that people seeking food aid are being shot at, while children are “wasting away from hunger.”

He emphasized that one-third of Gaza’s population has gone days without food. “Aid must not be blocked, delayed, or distributed under fire,” he said, adding that aid convoys must be granted swift permission to cross borders and that people seeking food must not be targeted.

Gaza is enduring the worst humanitarian crisis in its history, as a devastating famine intersects with a campaign of genocide carried out by Israel since 7 October 2023.

Since 2 March 2025, Israel has kept all border crossings with Gaza sealed, blocking the entry of most food and medical supplies, which has triggered the rapid spread of famine across the Strip.

According to the latest figures, famine and malnutrition have claimed the lives of 134 Palestinians—including 88 children—since October 7.

The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) previously warned that malnutrition among children under five doubled between March and June due to the ongoing blockade.

The World Health Organization (WHO) also reported alarming levels of malnutrition in Gaza, stressing that the deliberate siege and aid delays have led to numerous preventable deaths. Nearly one in five children under five in Gaza City now suffers from acute malnutrition.

Since Israel launched its assault on Gaza on 7 October 2023, a total of 59,821 Palestinians—most of them women and children—have been killed, and 144,851 others injured. The actual death toll is likely higher, as many victims remain under the rubble or are unreachable by rescue teams.