John:

Mass starvation is spreading in Gaza as near-daily attacks at food distribution sites have become a horrifying reality for children and their families.

As of July 13, the United Nations has confirmed a staggering 875 Palestinians were killed while seeking food, with 201 killed on aid routes and the rest at distribution points. Thousands more have been injured. And nearly 2 million exhausted Palestinians have been forcibly displaced, confining them to less than 12% of Gaza.

Yesterday, Save the Children joined 108 other organizations to sound the alarm and issue a public demand for governments to act now to restore the full flow of aid to Palestinians in desperate need.

Just outside Gaza, in warehouses — and even within the region itself — tons of food, safe water, medical supplies, shelter items and fuel sit untouched, blocked by the Government of Israel’s restrictions, delays and siege.

Restrictions on aid distribution have created chaos, starvation and death.

Doctors report record rates of acute malnutrition, especially among children and older people. Diseases like acute watery diarrhea are spreading fast, markets are empty, waste is piling up and adults are collapsing on the streets from hunger and dehydration.

The UN-led humanitarian system is not failing — it’s being prevented from functioning. Humanitarian agencies have the capacity and supplies to respond at scale. But, with access denied, we are blocked from reaching those in need, including our own exhausted and starved teams.

John, the starvation of civilians as a method of warfare is a war crime and must end.

Save the Children continues to call for:

• An immediate and permanent ceasefire;
• All bureaucratic and administrative restrictions to be lifted;
• All land crossings to be opened;
• The release of all hostages;
• Unimpeded access to everyone in all of Gaza;
• An end to military-controlled distribution models;
• Restoration of a principled, UN-led humanitarian response and continued funding of principled and impartial humanitarian organizations.

Every day without a sustained flow of aid means more children and their families dying of preventable illnesses. Children starve while waiting for promises that never arrive. Save the Children will continue to do all we can to ensure families in Gaza get the aid they need to survive this humanitarian catastrophe.

We will keep you updated as the situation changes. Thank you for standing by families in crisis in Gaza and around the world.

Sincerely,

The Save the Children team