At least 21 children died of starvation and malnutrition in Gaza over the past three days, the Palestinian Health Ministry said on Tuesday, as the UN warned of doctors fainting on duty due to hunger and exhaustion amid the Israeli aid blockade.
The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees said its staff, as well as doctors and humanitarian workers, were collapsing while working. UNRWA said it had received dozens of emergency messages from its staff describing dire conditions in the enclave.
Starvation is on the rise in the Gaza Strip amid Israel's constant bombardment and blockade on aid supplies. Western countries have condemned Israel's “drip feeding of aid” and have called the Israeli aid delivery model dangerous. More than 1,000 aid seekers have been killed.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said the devastation in Gaza was unparalleled and warned that the humanitarian response was on the verge of collapse.
"We need look no further than the horror show in Gaza with a level of death and destruction without parallel in recent times," he told a high-level UN Security Council meeting on peace and security. "Starvation is knocking on every door."
Israel has intensified its operations in the enclave, including new eviciton orders in Deir Al Balah.
Inside Gaza’s largest hospital, Al Shifa, workers are reaching their breaking point.
Ziad Abo Hmidan, 47, head of the hospital’s maintenance department, said his colleagues were fainting at work.
“There are around 50 employees working around the clock to keep the hospital running,” Mr Abo Hmidan told The National. “We move constantly between departments to keep the equipment operating, but we have no food to give us the energy to do this work. The quality of our services is starting to suffer.”
He said medical staff were finding it increasingly difficult to report to work because they feel too weak or are out searching for food for their families. “This is putting patients’ lives at risk,” he warned.
In the Emergency Department, Dr Ahmad Abed Al Wahed, 30, said recent days have been the most difficult since the start of the war. “We have gone up to 30 hours without a single meal. Doctors need energy to treat the injured, but we are exhausted,” he lamented. “Now we’re not just treating war injuries, but also rising numbers of malnutrition cases.
UN agencies operating on the ground have warned that the territory has become nearly uninhabitable. More than two million people are now facing the threat of famine due to prolonged conflict and the near-total blockade of aid.
“No one is spared: caretakers in Gaza are also in need of care. Doctors, nurses, journalists and humanitarians are hungry,” UNRWA commissioner general Philippe Lazzarini said in a post on X.
“Many are now fainting due to hunger and exhaustion while performing their duties: reporting atrocities or alleviating some of the suffering.”
On Monday a staff association at news agency AFP sounded the alarm, urging "immediate intervention" to help reporters working with the agency in Gaza.
Ahmad Harb, 44, a journalist with Al Kofia Channel, said Gaza's residents are suffering from two types of war – the one with weapons and the slow death from starvation.
“Despite our fatigue, we continue to report so the world hears the voices of the people,” Mr Harb said. “But over the past three days, food shortages have worsened. I spend hours just trying to find something to feed my children.”
He described an unbearable internal conflict, balancing his duty to report with the desperate need to care for his family. “Some of our colleagues have collapsed while working,” he said. “Still, we are committed to telling the world what is happening here.”
As conditions rapidly deteriorate, the voices of Gaza’s professionals – from doctors and engineers to journalists – echo a unified plea: for the war to end, for humanitarian aid to be allowed in, and for essentials, especially food, to be delivered immediately. The health system and the civilian population are facing an unprecedented crisis after more than 21 months of war.
“I am overwhelmed with worry about my own family, how they will find food, while I’m here trying to save others from dying, we urgently need the war to stop, and we need humanitarian aid to reach the people. We also need food ourselves so we can continue to do our jobs and care for those in critical need,” Dr Al Wahed said.
Adla Massoud contributed to this report from the UN
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
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The%20specs
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 48V hybrid
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh359,000
On sale: now
Juventus v Napoli, Sunday, 10.45pm (UAE)
Match on Bein Sports
If you go
The Flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Johannesburg from Dubai and Abu Dhabi respectively. Economy return tickets cost from Dh2,650, including taxes.
The trip
Worldwide Motorhoming Holidays (worldwidemotorhomingholidays.co.uk) operates fly-drive motorhome holidays in eight destinations, including South Africa. Its 14-day Kruger and the Battlefields itinerary starts from Dh17,500, including campgrounds, excursions, unit hire and flights. Bobo Campers has a range of RVs for hire, including the 4-berth Discoverer 4 from Dh600 per day.
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESmartCrowd%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2018%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESiddiq%20Farid%20and%20Musfique%20Ahmed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%20%2F%20PropTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%24650%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2035%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EVarious%20institutional%20investors%20and%20notable%20angel%20investors%20(500%20MENA%2C%20Shurooq%2C%20Mada%2C%20Seedstar%2C%20Tricap)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Rajasthan Royals 153-5 (17.5 ov)
Delhi Daredevils 60-4 (6 ov)
Rajasthan won by 10 runs (D/L method)
Profile of Foodics
Founders: Ahmad AlZaini and Mosab AlOthmani
Based: Riyadh
Sector: Software
Employees: 150
Amount raised: $8m through seed and Series A - Series B raise ongoing
Funders: Raed Advanced Investment Co, Al-Riyadh Al Walid Investment Co, 500 Falcons, SWM Investment, AlShoaibah SPV, Faith Capital, Technology Investments Co, Savour Holding, Future Resources, Derayah Custody Co.