The number of children who have died from malnutrition in Gaza has reached 57, the Palestinian Ministry of Health announced on Monday, as the besieged enclave edges closer to a full-scale famine. Amidst what officials describe as a “war of extermination,” over 16,000 children have already lost their lives—killed either by airstrikes or now, by starvation.

“There is no formula milk for infants, and no medicine for pregnant women,” said Dr Marwan al-Hams, head of Gaza’s field hospitals, warning that famine is no longer a threat, but a reality. As Israel continues its total blockade, the health system is collapsing, and medical teams are powerless to respond.

The Ministry of Health also revealed that the Israeli blockade is preventing the entry of critical medical supplies, including polio vaccines, raising fears of deadly disease outbreaks among already malnourished children.

Human rights organisations are sounding the alarm. The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor condemned the crisis as a “deliberate and complete crime committed in broad daylight.” Children and the elderly are dying not just from bombs, but from thirst, hunger, and lack of care.

For over two months, Gaza has been sealed off from food, water, and medicine. International agencies continue to issue warnings, but aid remains blocked—and the world remains largely silent. In the face of this preventable catastrophe, Gaza’s children are paying the ultimate price.