ISTANBUL 

Three more Palestinians died from starvation in the Gaza Strip in the last 24 hours amid a choking Israeli blockade, the Health Ministry said on Saturday.

“Hospitals recorded three fatalities in Gaza in the past 24 hours as a result of famine and malnutrition,” the ministry said in a statement.

The new deaths brought the death toll from starvation since October 2023 to 162, including 92 children.

Last week, the UN World Food Program (WFP) warned that one-third of Gaza’s population had gone without food for several consecutive days due to the Israeli siege.

According to WFP estimates, one in four Palestinians in Gaza faces famine-like conditions, and 100,000 women and children are suffering from acute malnutrition.

Israel has maintained a blockade on Gaza for 18 years, and since March 2 has sealed all border crossings, blocking the entry of humanitarian aid and worsening already dire conditions in the enclave.

Palestinian officials say that a minimum of 600 aid trucks are needed per day to meet the needs of the territory’s 2.4 million population.​​​​​​​

The Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, killing over 60,300 Palestinians. The relentless bombardment has devastated the enclave and led to food shortages.