Gaza plunged deeper into crisis on Saturday as Israeli airstrikes pounded Gaza City for a third straight day and the United Nations confirmed famine had taken hold in the Strip—the first such declaration in the Middle East. Thick smoke billowed over several neighbourhoods as the Israeli army pressed its offensive to seize the city. Local sources said at least 39 Palestinians were killed, including 16 people in an artillery strike that hit tents sheltering displaced families north of Khan Younis. The UN said nearly half a million people now face catastrophic hunger. "The famine in Gaza is not a mystery but a man-made catastrophe," UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned, calling the crisis "a moral indictment and a failure of humanity itself." He demanded an immediate ceasefire and unfettered humanitarian access. Philippe Lazzarini, head of UNRWA, urged Israel to stop "denying the famine it has caused," warning that "every hour counts." Gaza's Health Ministry said the announcement came too late but confirmed Israel was pursuing a policy of "systematic starvation." Inside hospitals, the toll is stark. Ahmad Al-Farra, director of Al-Tahrir Hospital for Children and Maternity, said the malnutrition clinic at Nasser Medical Complex was now treating up to four times the expected number of patients, diagnosing more than 50 new cases daily. He described the situation as "catastrophic" and warned the Strip had entered "a decisive stage of famine." The Health Ministry reported 61 people killed and 308 injured in the past 24 hours, bringing the death toll since October 7, 2023, to more than 62,600, with over 157,000 wounded. Since mid-March alone, more than 10,000 have died and 45,000 have been injured. Over 2,000 Palestinians have been killed while trying to access aid. The International Organization for Migration rejected Israeli claims that the UN famine declaration relied on "Hamas lies," stressing the findings were based on established global methodology. The crisis is also fuelling political turmoil abroad. In the Netherlands, Foreign Minister Kaspar Veldkamp resigned Friday amid disputes over sanctions on Israel, saying he could no longer take meaningful steps to pressure Tel Aviv. Meanwhile, The Atlantic quoted an Israeli security official as saying Hamas still has about 20,000 fighters and that "war is the strategy" in Gaza—a policy that serves Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government but "no one else." The official added that settler violence against Palestinians has more than doubled this year, rising from under 90 incidents a month to over 200. Israeli media also reported a "serious security incident" in Khan Younis, a phrase often used for resistance attacks that inflict casualties on Israeli troops. No details were provided. With strikes intensifying and aid supplies dwindling, international appeals for a ceasefire are growing louder. But aid agencies warn that time is running out to prevent hundreds of thousands from succumbing to hunger and disease.
