The humanitarian situation in **Gaza Strip** worsens day by day. According to the Commissioner-General of the **UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA)**, **one in five children suffers from acute malnutrition**, and cases continue to rise. More than **100 people**—mostly minors—have died **from hunger**.
On the ground, humanitarian workers describe a devastating scenario. “People in Gaza are neither alive nor dead, they are **walking corpses**,” quoted Commissioner **Philippe Lazzarini**, reflecting the desperation of the local teams.
Medical personnel in Gaza work under extreme conditions
Health professionals operating in UNRWA clinics survive on **one meal a day**, often reduced to simple **lentils**. As the crisis worsens, **many faint from hunger while trying to save lives**, jeopardizing the functioning of the entire **humanitarian system**.
**Palestinian families also lack the strength and resources** to care for their children. “The population is collapsing, their existence is in danger,” warned Lazzarini. Although there are **6,000 trucks loaded with humanitarian aid** waiting to enter from **Jordan and Egypt**, **access restrictions** continue to prevent their arrival.
The UN and WHO demand unrestricted humanitarian access and ceasefire
The **Director of the [World Health Organization (WHO)](https://www.who.int/en)**, **Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus**, emphasized the need to guarantee **unhindered access** to humanitarian aid, the **release of hostages**, a **ceasefire**, and a **political solution** to the conflict. “**Peace is the best medicine**,” he stated.
The **Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)** warned that **more than a million children** are facing the effects of an increasingly severe famine. **Severe acute malnutrition** soared from 2.4% in February to **9% in July** in different governorates of Gaza, reaching **16% in the City of Gaza**.
Bombings and displacements continue to affect civilians
During the past week, **Israeli forces** carried out **attacks by land, sea, and air** in different sectors of Gaza, accompanied by **new evacuation orders** that expand forced displacement. The **Israeli Army** ordered the evacuation of areas in **Deir al Balah** and prohibited the return to northern areas under “active combat”.
Meanwhile, **clashes** between Palestinian armed groups and Israeli forces continue, including **rocket launches towards Israel**.
Reports of disappearances of teenagers at distribution points
An especially alarming aspect is the reports of **disappearance of children and teenagers** who went to **food distribution points** under military control. In the last month, **nine families** reported that their children did not return.
The Israeli army confirmed the **detention of five youths**, although four of them—aged between 15 and 17—**are denied legal assistance**, and the whereabouts of four others **remain unclear**.
According to data from the **Ministry of Health in Gaza**, between July 16 and 23, **646 people died and 3,438 were injured**. Since the start of the conflict in **October 2023**, the death toll has risen to at least **59,219 and over 143,000 injured**, mostly civilians.
*Cover photo: UN Press*
