UN warns of ‘catastrophic hunger’ in Gaza as Israel announces humanitarian pauses

This article is published in association with United Nations.

United Nations agencies welcomed on Sunday Israel’s pledge to implement daily humanitarian pauses in its military operations in Gaza, aimed at easing the flow of desperately needed aid into and across the devastated enclave.

But as starvation tightens its grip and “children are dying before our eyes,” UN officials and aid workers warn that the measures fall far short of the much-needed ceasefire and unfettered aid access that could help stem the spiralling humanitarian catastrophe.

“Welcome announcement of humanitarian pauses in Gaza to allow our aid through,” UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher said on X. “In contact with our teams on the ground who will do all we can to reach as many starving people as we can in this window.”

In a statement later issued later by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA, which Mr. Fletcher heads up, he added that some movement restrictions appear to have been eased today, with initial reports indicating that over 100 truckloads were collected.

“This is progress, but vast amounts of aid are needed to stave off famine and a catastrophic health crisis. Across the UN agencies and humanitarian community, we are mobilized to save as many lives as we can, he said, but called for “sustained action, and fast”, including quicker clearances for convoys going to the crossing and dispatching into Gaza.

“Ultimately of course we don’t just need a pause – we need a permanent ceasefire,” stated Mr. Fletcher, who emphasized: “The world is calling for this lifesaving aid to get through. We won’t stop working for that.”

Also reacting via X, UNICEF said: “This is an opportunity to begin to reverse this catastrophe and save lives.”

According to the agency, since the collapse of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in March, children have been trapped in a nightmare and deprived of the basics to survive.

“The entire population of over two million people in Gaza is severely food insecure. One out of every three people has not eaten for days, and 80 per cent of all reported deaths by starvation are children,” the agency continued.

UNICEF emphasized that while it has never stopped delivering, “we can do a lot more if additional designated humanitarian corridors are created to facilitate the movement of our convoys – as well as commercial trucks, which are essential.”

‘A lifeline – if upheld and expanded’

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) also welcomed Israel’s announcement and its intent to open designated corridors for aid convoys in Gaza, “where hunger has reached catastrophic levels.”

With nearly half a million people facing famine-like conditions and a third of the population going days without food, WFP said in a press statement that the measures could offer a lifeline – if upheld and expanded.

Despite recent deliveries, including 350 truckloads last week, aid workers continue to face extreme risks and logistical hurdles. WFP said it has enough food stockpiled or en route to feed Gaza’s 2.1 million residents for three months, but without a ceasefire and consistent access, the scale of need far outpaces current efforts.

“An agreed ceasefire is the only way to reach everyone,” the agency stressed, calling for predictable and safe conditions to prevent further loss of life.

‘An entirely preventable crisis’

At the same time, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) warned that malnutrition in Gaza is spiralling out of control, with a sharp rise in deaths – most of them in July – marking what it calls a “dangerous trajectory.”

Of the 74 malnutrition-related deaths recorded this year, 63 occurred this month alone, including 24 children under five. Many died before reaching medical care, their bodies showing signs of severe wasting.

“This crisis is entirely preventable,” WHO said in a press release, citing the deliberate obstruction of aid for the mounting toll.

Children are bearing the brunt. Over 5,000 children have already been treated for malnutrition in July, many with the most life-threatening form. But Gaza’s four specialized treatment centers are overwhelmed, running low on fuel and supplies, and staffed by exhausted health workers.

“The health system is on the brink,” WHO warned, as disease spreads rapidly through communities with no clean water or sanitation.

The crisis is also devastating pregnant and breastfeeding women, over 40 per cent of whom are now severely malnourished. And it’s not just hunger that’s killing people—it’s the desperate search for food, according to WHO.

Since late May, more than 1,000 people have been killed and over 7,000 injured while trying to access aid. WHO is calling for an immediate ceasefire and a sustained surge of diverse, nutritious food and medical supplies.

“This flow must remain consistent and unhindered,” the agency said, urging protection for civilians, health workers, and humanitarian operations.

‘The world will judge this conference’

Looking ahead to the High-Level Conference on Palestine set to open on Monday at UN Headquarters in New York, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights issued a strong call for immediate action to end Israel’s unlawful occupation and the ongoing devastation in Gaza.

“Countries that fail to use their leverage may be complicit in international crimes,” Volker Türk warned in a statement, urging governments to seize the moment for concrete measures that pressure Israel to halt the carnage and recommit to a two-state solution.

The UN rights chief described Gaza as a “dystopian landscape of deadly attacks and total destruction,” where children are starving and families are being killed in their search for food. The militarized aid distribution system, supported by the US and Israel, is failing to meet the scale of need.

“We can never forget that more than 300 of our own colleagues have been killed,” he added.

Moreover, in the occupied West Bank, violence by Israeli forces and settlers continues unabated, with homes demolished and water supplies cut off.

Mr. Türk reiterated condemnation of the 7 October attacks by Hamas but emphasized that the scale of suffering inflicted on Palestinians since then cannot be justified.

Calling for an immediate, permanent ceasefire, the release of hostages and detainees, and a massive surge in humanitarian aid, he concluded:

“The people of the world will judge this Conference on what it delivers.”