GAZA CITY, Palestine: At least 41 Palestinians, including 20 aid seekers, were killed in Israeli strikes across Gaza on Monday as the death toll from the ongoing war rose to nearly 61,000, the Palestinian territory’s Health Ministry said.
The humanitarian situation in the besieged Palestinian enclave continues to deteriorate, with five more people – including children – confirmed to have died of starvation in the past 24 hours.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Gaza Health Ministry said that since the war began on 7 October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed 60,933 people and wounded 150,027 others.
Since 18 March alone, when Israel broke a ceasefire deal, 9,440 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 38,000 injured, the health ministry stated.
The ministry added that 180 people, including 93 children, have now died due to famine and malnutrition.
Most of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents are facing starvation-level conditions, exacerbated by continued Israeli blockades on humanitarian aid.
In central Gaza’s Netzarim Corridor, a militarised zone under Israeli control, the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) confirmed the deaths of two civilians and injuries to 11 others who were waiting for humanitarian assistance.
In a statement posted on X, the PRCS shared footage of paramedics transporting the wounded and wrapping bodies in white blankets, though shrouds are reportedly in short supply due to the blockade.
🚨نقلت طواقم الهلال الأحمر الفلسطيني شهيدين و11 إصابة جراء استهداف الاحتلال المواطنين أثناء انتظارهم للحصول على المساعدات في منطقة نيتساريم وسط قطاع #غزة.
📷تصوير المتطوع : موسى القطاوي— PRCS (@PalestineRCS) August 4, 2025
‘Irreversible humanitarian collapse’
The humanitarian toll has prompted renewed calls for action. United Nations agencies warned that Gaza is on the brink of an “irreversible humanitarian collapse,” stating that two of the three famine thresholds have already been breached.
They emphasised that airdrops are insufficient and that aid must be allowed in by land through reopened border crossings.
Despite some easing of restrictions in late July, the Gaza Government Media Office said on Sunday that over 22,000 aid trucks remain blocked at crossing points.
It accused Israel of deliberately engineering “starvation, siege, and chaos” and described the blockade as a “full-fledged war crime.”
The office demanded the immediate and unconditional entry of all detained aid trucks and the full reopening of crossings.
COGAT, the Israeli military agency coordinating aid, countered by stating that over 23,000 tonnes of aid in 1,200 trucks entered Gaza last week.
However, it admitted that hundreds of these trucks have yet to be distributed due to logistical delays by UN and other organisations.
The worsening crisis also led Germany to consider new humanitarian measures. A spokesperson for Germany’s Interior Ministry said on Monday that authorities are assessing whether children from Gaza could be brought to Germany for treatment, depending on the security situation and exit options.
Calls for ceasefire
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs renewed its plea to the UN Security Council (UNSC) to enforce an immediate ceasefire.
In a statement posted on social media, the ministry accused certain UNSC members of prolonging the war for political reasons and warned that Gaza’s two million residents are trapped in a “circle of killing, starvation, and deprivation.”
It also called for a UNSC visit to break the “Israeli siege and blackout.”
الخارجية: تطالب مجلس الامن تحمل مسؤولياته وفرض الوقف الفوري للحرب وتدعوه لزيارة قطاع غزة
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls upon the United Nations Security Council to assume its responsibilities under international law by enforcing an immediate ceasefire and urges Council… pic.twitter.com/M4WNjCBcV5
— State of Palestine – MFA 🇵🇸🇵🇸 (@pmofa) August 4, 2025
More than a dozen Democratic lawmakers in the US House of Representatives have signed a letter urging the Trump administration to recognise a Palestinian state.
Citing the need for self-determination, the letter – reported by Axios and initiated by Congressman Ro Khanna – reflects growing international pressure on Washington to shift its position amid the ongoing war.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking at a cabinet meeting on Sunday, said he would soon instruct the army on how to achieve Israel’s “three war objectives: defeat of the enemy, return of hostages, and ensuring Gaza is no longer a threat to Israel.”
Netanyahu also stated that he had requested the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to deliver food and medical aid to Israeli captives held by Hamas, who he claimed were victims of “systematic starvation.”
In response, Hamas expressed openness to allowing the ICRC to deliver humanitarian supplies to the captives, following the release of videos showing two visibly malnourished Israeli hostages.
The Israeli security cabinet is expected to meet later this week to consider expanding the military offensive in Gaza, according to TRT World citing Channel 12 TV.
The proposal has divided Israeli leadership, with hardline ministers favouring further attacks, while top security officials advocate for pursuing a ceasefire and prisoner exchange.
