The United Nations has raised the alarm over an unfolding famine in Gaza, as Israel continues to block humanitarian aid for the eighth consecutive week. Sixteen soup kitchens have shuttered due to dwindling supplies, leaving an already starving population with even fewer lifelines.

Speaking in New York, UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric painted a grim picture of Gaza’s deepening catastrophe. “The lack of consistent access to essential supplies is pushing Gaza’s population to the brink,” he warned, calling for immediate international action. But with border crossings closed and aid trucks stalled, the suffering only grows.

Among the hardest hit are children. Over 10,000 cases of malnutrition have been recorded this year alone, with 1,600 categorised as severe. Dujarric cautioned that without urgent intervention, these children face irreversible harm—or death. "The numbers speak for themselves," he said.

The crisis extends beyond hunger. Ongoing Israeli restrictions have disrupted schooling for 90,000 students and 2,000 teachers. With evacuation orders uprooting communities and education suspended, the future of Gaza’s youth hangs in the balance.

Calls for unfettered humanitarian access continue to go unanswered. Meanwhile, the people of Gaza are left to suffer in silence—starved, displaced, and forgotten.