WHO says acute malnutrition among children in Gaza reached new high in July
Global health officials say that July saw the number of children suffering from acute malnutrition in Gaza rise to the highest levels yet, as Israel’s siege continues to fuel rising deaths from starvation in the Gaza Strip.
“In July, nearly 12,000 children under five years were identified as having acute malnutrition in Gaza, the highest monthly figure ever recorded,” World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at WHO headquarters in Geneva.
He added that at least 2,500 of those children have reached a level of severe malnutrition, and that 29 children under the age of five had died from hunger as of July 29.
Israel not allowing aid trucks into Gaza at rate set out in EU agreement: Report
Reuters reports that only 463 aid trucks were offloaded at crossing points with Gaza between July 29 and August 4, falling short of the numbers outlined in an agreement between the European Union and Israel aimed at improving humanitarian access to the Strip. The report cites a document seen by Reuters.
Before the beginning of the current war, an average of about 500 aid trucks entered Gaza each day. Now, with humanitarian needs much higher, Israel has all but cut off the Strip’s access to assistance.
Gaza authorities say that at least 600 trucks per day are needed to stave off famine.
Critics have said that Israel’s creation of famine conditions in Gaza has prompted mostly symbolic condemnation from Western allies, who have continued to send Israel weapons and shied away from more robust forms of pressure, such as sanctions.
Protesters rallying in The Hague to demand stronger sanctions on Israel
It’s a very noisy protest because they want the people on the other side of the street, who are now having an emergency debate in Parliament, to hear them.
The emergency debate has been called by the opposition parties, and also some of the government parties, to discuss the urgency of the situation in Gaza.
Last week, there were some sanctions imposed, travel bans against two Israeli ministers and also the Israeli ambassador was summoned. But for these protesters, this is not far enough.
They say a lot more should be done to put pressure [on Israel] and the Netherlands should now act alone. They say the European Union is not doing anything, Germany is blocking all kinds of sanctions… so the Netherlands should just go alone.
They’re calling for a total weapons embargo, but also to stop trade with Israel.
