Israeli siege ‘slowly killing’ over 2M Palestinians in Gaza, authorities warn

GAZA CITY, Palestine, ANKARA

An Israeli blockade on the entry of essentials has worsened humanitarian conditions in Gaza and is slowly killing more than two million people in the enclave, local authorities warned on Tuesday.

“Around 2.4 million Palestinians are suffering from severe and catastrophic food insecurity,” Ismail Thawabteh, director of Gaza’s government media office, told Anadolu.

He said over 90% of Gaza’s population depends entirely on food assistance.

“Food aid is no longer arriving due to Israel’s closure of Gaza’s crossings and the prevention of the entry of aid,” he added.

Thawabteh said dozens of bakeries have stopped operating due to a shortage of flour and fuel.

“International programs and organizations have been forced to suspend their support for food distribution and bakery operations, while some mobile bakeries are operating at very limited capacity.

Gaza "is facing the imminent threat of famine, and parts of it are already experiencing famine," he said.

Since March 2, Israel has closed Gaza’s crossings, blocking essential supplies from entering the enclave despite multiple reports of famine in the war-devastated territory.

The Israeli army resumed its assault on Gaza on March 18, shattering a Jan. 19 ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement.

Israel has killed more than 51,200 Palestinians in the enclave since October 2023, most of them women and children.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.