Over 100 Aid Groups Warn of Gaza Starvation; Israeli Strikes Kill 21/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Gaza faces a worsening humanitarian crisis as Israeli airstrikes kill 21 people overnight. More than 100 aid groups warn of imminent famine due to ongoing Israeli restrictions. Ceasefire negotiations may gain momentum with U.S. envoy meeting Israeli officials in Rome.
Gaza Starvation Crisis + Quick Looks
- Israeli airstrikes killed at least 21 overnight, over half women and children
- 115 aid and human rights organizations warn of “chaos, starvation, and death” in Gaza
- Gaza’s Health Ministry reports over 59,000 deaths since war began in October 2023
- U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff to meet Israeli adviser Ron Dermer in Rome for ceasefire talks
- Aid groups include Doctors Without Borders, Mercy Corps, and Save the Children
- UN says 500-600 trucks/day are needed; only 70/day have entered recently
- Israel allows 4,500 trucks since May, blames UN and NGOs for slow distribution
- Evolving ceasefire deal includes 60-day truce, hostage release, and increased aid
- Israel maintains Hamas uses civilian areas; civilian deaths blamed on militants’ tactics
- More than 1,000 killed while seeking aid, says UN; Israel disputes figures
Deep Look: Over 100 Aid Groups Warn of Starvation in Gaza as Strikes Kill 21
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — July 23, 2025 — The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached an alarming level as more than 100 international aid and rights organizations sounded the alarm on Wednesday, warning that Palestinians are on the brink of famine due to Israel’s prolonged military campaign and blockade.
The warning came as Israeli airstrikes killed at least 21 people overnight, according to local health officials. More than half of the victims were women and children, underscoring the war’s devastating impact on Gaza’s civilian population.
Humanitarian Disaster Escalates
In a scathing joint letter, 115 aid groups, including Doctors Without Borders, Save the Children, and Mercy Corps, accused Israel of deliberately creating conditions that have led to what they describe as “chaos, starvation, and death.“
The letter condemned repeated attacks near aid distribution centers and said humanitarian workers are watching both their Palestinian colleagues and the population “waste away.”
The U.N. human rights office, along with local health authorities, report that over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid, often near U.S.-contracted distribution points. Israel claims it has only used warning shots and that casualty figures are exaggerated.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry pushed back, accusing the groups of “echoing Hamas propaganda.” Officials noted that around 4,500 aid trucks have entered Gaza since a full blockade was lifted in May, with 700 more awaiting UN distribution.
Still, the average of 70 trucks per day is far below the 500 to 600 daily trucks the U.N. says are required to meet the needs of the besieged population — a level last seen during a six-week ceasefire earlier this year.
Ceasefire Talks Advance Amid Crisis
In a potential breakthrough, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff is set to meet Ron Dermer, top adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in Rome on Thursday to discuss progress on a long-stalled ceasefire agreement.
A U.S. State Department spokesperson confirmed Witkoff’s trip as part of broader Middle East diplomacy, raising hopes that negotiations might be nearing a tangible agreement.
According to officials familiar with the discussions, the proposed deal could include:
- A 60-day ceasefire
- Release of 10 living hostages and 18 sets of remains held by Hamas
- The release of Palestinian prisoners by Israel
- A significant scale-up in humanitarian aid
- Formal talks aimed at achieving a permanent truce
However, Hamas insists it will not release its remaining 50 hostages unless Israel fully withdraws and commits to ending the war — a demand Israel continues to reject, vowing to defeat or disarm Hamas entirely.
Civilian Casualties Mount
While negotiations inch forward, the violence continues. Overnight airstrikes targeted several areas in Gaza City and northern Gaza, leaving 21 people dead, including six children and two women, according to Shifa Hospital and Gaza’s Health Ministry.
One strike reportedly hit a residential home, killing 12 people. The Israeli military said it was targeting an Islamic Jihad militant, but acknowledged an internal review was underway due to civilian deaths.
Another airstrike hit an apartment building, killing six — among them, a pregnant woman and three children. A third strike late Tuesday hit a tent shelter, killing three more children.
The Israeli military has not commented on these specific strikes but maintains that Hamas’ use of densely populated areas as cover complicates efforts to avoid civilian casualties.
Death Toll Soars Past 59,000
Since October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants launched an attack that killed about 1,200 Israelis and abducted 251 people, the war has claimed more than 59,000 Palestinian lives, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
While the ministry does not separate civilian and militant deaths, it asserts that more than half of the casualties are women and children. U.N. agencies continue to use the ministry’s figures, citing them as the most reliable data source available from Gaza.
A Crisis of Global Concern
The dire warnings from humanitarian organizations and the escalating civilian death toll have intensified global calls for a ceasefire and comprehensive peace deal. Protests have erupted in cities across the Middle East and Europe, demanding an end to what many describe as a man-made famine.
As the world watches the next steps in the Rome negotiations, the lives of over two million Gazans hang in the balance, many of them already living under desperate conditions, with inadequate access to food, medicine, or safe shelter.
For now, hope rests on diplomacy, even as the bombs continue to fall.
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