Gaza Health Ministry says 466 died from starvation since 2024

Starvation claims 466 lives since 2024

Gaza's Health Ministry announced on Friday that at least 466 Palestinians, including 157 children and 189 elderly people, have died from malnutrition and starvation since 2024, releasing the figures as the enclave marked World Food Day amid a UN-declared famine. The ministry stated that elderly victims represent 40.5% of the death toll, while more than 1.4 million people are expected to face crisis-level food insecurity through the end of 2026.

Israel accused of using starvation as weapon

Israeli authorities have used starvation as a weapon during the ongoing genocide in Gaza since October 2023, according to Palestinian government bodies, tightening restrictions on crossings in March 2025 to prevent thousands of aid trucks from entering. In late May 2025, Israel allowed 87 aid trucks to enter for the first time after 81 days, though by February 2026 only about 34% of the agreed humanitarian aid trucks had been permitted entry under a limited ceasefire arrangement.

Catastrophic health impact on vulnerable groups

More than 158,000 cases of acute malnutrition were recorded among children under five between 2024 and August 2026, with 18% suffering from severe acute malnutrition and mortality rates rising sharply. “Malnutrition and starvation rates in Gaza have reached catastrophic levels that are killing children, the elderly and vulnerable groups,” the ministry said.

Among pregnant women, anemia prevalence rose to 61% in 2026 compared with 41% before the war. “Around 4,000 pregnancy losses were recorded during the first half of 2026, more than three times the number recorded during the previous six months,” the ministry reported. “One in three pregnancies in Gaza is now classified as high-risk,” it added.

Calls for immediate international action

The ministry called on the international community and the United Nations to take immediate action to ensure the safe, sustained and unrestricted entry of food and medicines into Gaza. “The right to food is a fundamental human right that does not cease to exist during war,” it said.

Repeated displacement, loss of income and soaring prices have further increased families' dependence on humanitarian aid amid widespread destruction of infrastructure and food production facilities during Israel's genocide.