‘Weaponised Hunger’ Killing Hundreds in Crisis-Hit Gaza: UN

Palestinians at Gaza’s Ahli Hospital carry the bodies of loved ones killed in Israeli airstrikes, amid ongoing bombardment and mounting civilian casualties. Photo: UN News

The United Nations has issued a dire warning over the escalating humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, where civilians are being killed while simply trying to access food, clean water, and medical care.

Jonathan Whittall, head of the UN humanitarian coordination office (OCHA) in Gaza and the West Bank, described the situation on Saturday as "a death sentence for those trying to survive."

Speaking from Deir al Balah, Whittall painted a harrowing picture of daily life in the besieged enclave, where desperation is met with deadly force. “Since Israel eased its full blockade last month, more than 400 people have died just trying to reach food distribution points,” he said.

“We’re seeing a chilling pattern of Israeli forces opening fire on crowds gathering for food,” he added, noting that many of these distribution sites lie within militarised zones, while others have come under fire along access roads or near aid convoys.

“There shouldn’t be a death toll associated with accessing the essentials for life,” Whittall said.

‘Empty Warehouses, Collapsing Systems’

Conditions on the ground continue to deteriorate at an alarming pace. Water wells have either run dry or are situated in areas too dangerous to access. Sanitation systems have collapsed, and disease is spreading rapidly in overcrowded shelters.

“Our warehouses stand empty,” Whittall reported. “Displaced families flee with nothing—and we have nothing to give them.”

Hospitals, only partially functional, are overwhelmed by near-daily mass casualty incidents. Many facilities have been struck directly, while others suffer from fuel shortages or are under evacuation orders, crippling their ability to provide care.

UNICEF has warned that over 110 children in Gaza are being treated for malnutrition each day. Whittall said humanitarian agencies have the capacity to deliver aid to every family in need—if only they were allowed to do so.

“We have a plan, but we’re being blocked at every turn.”

‘This Is Carnage’

Whittall did not mince words, describing the crisis as a deliberate and systematic campaign of suffering.

“This is weaponised hunger. This is forced displacement. This is a death sentence for people just trying to survive. This is carnage,” he said. “It appears to be the erasure of Palestinian life from Gaza.”

He called on the international community to urgently step up efforts to end the violence and ensure unfettered humanitarian access.

“We need a lasting ceasefire, accountability, and real pressure to stop this. That is the bare minimum,” he stressed.

As the death toll rises and desperation deepens, UN officials warn that without immediate action, the situation could spiral further into what many are already calling an unprecedented humanitarian collapse.