While ceasefire negotiations for Gaza go on, the famine in Gaza is reaching unprecedented levels, with deliberate starvation being used as a weapon by the Israeli occupation. In recent weeks, at least 63 people have died of starvation, including 25 children. The total death toll from starvation has now reached 111, with 80 of them being children.

On July 19, 2025, Mohammad al-Sawafiri, a 19-year-old Palestinian man with special needs, died from hunger under the ongoing Israeli siege. His images circulated widely on social media, showing a severely emaciated body: his skin tightly wrapped around his bones, chest sunken, limbs fragile. He lay lifeless on a thin mat, surrounded by onlookers. His face reflects suffering and exhaustion, bearing the clear signs of severe, prolonged starvation. A spokesperson from the Gaza Civil Defense warned that if humanitarian aid continues to be blocked, al-Sawafiri will not be the last.

Starved doctors are attempting to treat starved patients, while starved paramedics and civil defense teams carry them to hospitals. Starved journalists and photographers continue to report live from the scene, their voices shaking and eyes filled with tears. The pain and helplessness were especially visible this week in the voice and gaze of reporter Anas Al-Sharif.

Starved fathers roam the streets in search of food to buy to feed their starved children. They are gripped with despair, unable to provide basic nourishment as food becomes nearly impossible to find — and if available, it comes at exorbitant prices: One kilo of flour costs around 25 U.S. dollars, one kilo of lentils $16, one kilo of pasta $19, one kilo of potato $14, and one kilo of rice $22.

Never in my worst nightmares did I imagine we would face such a devastating famine. Children wander barefoot in the streets, desperately searching for a scrap of food. This week, an elderly man collapsed from hunger while waiting in line for food — pale and frail, he fainted before receiving anything.

If the crossings remain........

© The Intercept