Gaza: The Gaza famine has continued to worsen, with health authorities confirming that 10 more Palestinians, including two children, have died from starvation in the past 24 hours. The latest figures bring the total death toll from hunger to 313 since the start of the war, among them 119 children.
The crisis has drawn international alarm, with Pope Leo XIV demanding an end to Israel’s collective punishment’ of Gaza’s population.
Addressing thousands in the Vatican auditorium, the pope urged a permanent ceasefire, safe access for humanitarian aid, and respect for international law. Pope highlighted that collective punishment, indiscriminate force, and forced displacement are prohibited under global humanitarian norms.
Aid groups have echoed these warnings. Save the Children has reported that many children in Gaza are now so malnourished that they no longer cry, with some described as lying silently, emaciated, and near death. The organisation’s head, Inger Ashing, told the UN Security Council that everyone has a moral responsibility to stop the famine.
“No place is safe in #Gaza
No one is safe.
Nearly 700 days on, people continue to be killed & injured as the Israeli military intensifies & expands its operations.
Hospitals, schools, shelters & people's homes have been bombed day in, day out.
Health staff, journalists &… pic.twitter.com/eArpFaIZ3t
— UNRWA (@UNRWA) August 27, 2025
Meanwhile, military operations in Gaza have intensified. Israeli tanks have entered areas near Gaza City, displacing residents and destroying homes. At least 76 Palestinians have been killed in the past day from strikes and fire, according to local health officials. The Israeli military has said it is targeting Hamas positions and claimed to have killed a senior intelligence member of the group.
Gaza City, now sheltering about one million people, remains under threat of a new offensive. Israel has warned civilians to evacuate, but humanitarian groups have cautioned that forced displacement violates international law and could worsen already dire conditions.
International mediators, including the United States and Qatar, have urged a ceasefire, but Israel has so far avoided committing to proposals. Reports suggest that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is seeking broader war objectives, including eliminating Hamas and recovering hostages.
The war, now in its 22nd month, has killed at least 62,895 Palestinians since October 2023, according to Gaza health authorities. With famine spreading, aid organisations have warned that without urgent humanitarian access, the death toll from hunger will continue to rise sharply.
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