24 DAILY NEWS – A dire humanitarian crisis unfolds as Gaza faces widespread starvation amidst a backdrop of policy failures and escalating violence.
24 DAILY NEWS – Deir al Balah, Gaza | Special Report
Inside Gaza, the Gaza famine is no longer a looming threat — it is a lived reality. After nearly two years of war, civilians face starvation, aid has become lethal, and a U.S.-Israeli distribution model is fueling both chaos and death.
When Khalil, a 26-year-old in Deir al Balah, heard that an aid truck had arrived nearby on June 10, he risked his life for a bag of flour. Instead, he was shot at.
“The bullets were chasing us like we were targets,” he said. “I got closer to death that day than a piece of bread.”
The incident left 36 Palestinians dead and over 200 wounded — one of many deadly encounters at the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) sites, the newly imposed aid system by Israel and the U.S. after defunding UNRWA and USAID.
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Gaza Famine Fueled by Policy and Blockade
The Gaza famine escalated after Israel imposed a total blockade in March 2025, cutting food imports and shattering a fragile ceasefire. The closure of 400 aid sites — previously run by UNRWA and community kitchens — reduced the number of active distribution points to as few as three.
OCHA reports that 100% of Gaza’s population now faces acute food insecurity, with 470,000 in catastrophic conditions. Many, like Basel, have lost over 80 pounds. “By God, it’s been two years — we are starving,” he told 24 DAILY NEWS.
Deadly Aid: How GHF Turned Relief Into Risk
The GHF operates a U.S.-funded aid system secured by private contractors, monitored by the Israeli military. Distribution centers are in “red zones” and often become targets of Israeli gunfire. Witnesses, doctors, and video evidence confirm sniper attacks, machine gun fire, and mass casualties.
“Every patient we treat is skin and bones,” said Dr. Tarek Loubani of Glia. “We’ve seen too many headshots to believe it’s random.”
GHF denies involvement in violence, blaming “outside agitators.” Yet reports confirm that over 1,000 Palestinians have died at their sites since May, including children and aid workers.
From Flour to Fire: The Collapse of Food Access
Before the full blockade, community kitchens like Shabab Gaza served 250,000 meals a day. By July, they had ceased operations entirely. Prices soared: onions rose from $1 per 3kg to $1 each; flour is now unaffordable. ATMs are down, and people rely on informal money exchanges with 40% fees.
“Even the chickens are starving,” one aid worker said, citing the lack of feed and stress from bombings.
International Condemnation Grows
More than 20 countries, including France, Canada, and the U.K., condemned the “drip feeding of aid” and called Israel’s model “inhumane and destabilizing.” Yet despite global pressure, Israel and the U.S. continue backing GHF, reportedly planning to fund it with an additional $500 million.
Meanwhile, Palestinian civilians continue dying — not just from bombs, but from engineered hunger.
“We Don’t Go to GHF Aid Points — They’re Death Traps”
The Gaza famine is not a natural disaster — it is the product of deliberate policy. As one disabled man explained, “We don’t go to GHF sites. There is no line. It’s like the Hunger Games
