KEY POINTS
- Israeli strikes kill 87 Palestinians in the past 24 hours, including 52 aid seekers.
- Starvation deaths rise to 188, including 94 children
- Nearly 70% of Gazans suffer extreme weakness due to hunger, says Danish Refugee Council.
- Israel is considering a complete military takeover of Gaza after ceasefire talks collapsed.
GAZA CITY, Palestine: At least 87 Palestinians, including 52 aid seekers, have been killed and 644 injured in the past 24 hours as Israeli strikes continued across the Gaza Strip, the territory’s health ministry said on Tuesday, amid worsening starvation crisis.
The health ministry said that eight people, including one child, had died from starvation in the past day, bringing the total number of hunger-related deaths to 188, including 94 children.
Since October 7, 2023, at least 61,020 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed and over 150,000 injured in the ongoing Israeli military offensive in Gaza, according to the territory’s health ministry.
The latest fatalities include eight bodies recovered from the rubble of earlier strikes, while others were killed during continued Israeli offensives in areas such as Khan Younis and Rafah, the ministry said.
Since Israel introduced a new aid distribution system via the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) on 27 May, 1,568 Palestinians seeking aid have reportedly been killed and over 11,200 injured.
Starvation crisis
The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) reported on Tuesday that 70 percent of Palestinians in Gaza are suffering from “extreme weakness caused by starvation,” which is severely limiting their ability to reach aid distribution sites.
In a survey conducted between 22 May and 27 July across Deir el-Balah, Khan Younis, Gaza City and North Gaza, many respondents said they had witnessed people being shot while trying to collect food.
Describing the distribution system as a “militarised, violence-backed scheme,” the DRC noted that many Palestinians refer to the aid as “blood aid” or “aid soaked in blood”.
Of the 39 individuals interviewed, only 46 percent reported having access to clean drinking water twice a week, while 28 percent said they received a hot meal just once a week. Thirty-one percent said they had received no assistance in the previous month.
Press release: https://t.co/LTY3S4RNlj
A new survey of Palestinians in Gaza by DRC shows a population at breaking point: starvation and mass displacement have resulted in widespread physical exhaustion and a catastrophic mental health emergency. pic.twitter.com/HhHvPBGfOS— Danish Refugee Council (@DRC_ngo) August 5, 2025
Israel plans full Gaza takeover
Israeli media, including Channel 12, reported that the Israeli cabinet may soon authorise a complete military takeover of Gaza, the first in nearly two decades, despite growing international calls for a ceasefire.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is leaning toward this option following the breakdown of indirect ceasefire negotiations with Hamas, according to Israeli media reports.
A senior Israeli source, cited by Reuters, said that the military is expected to present new strategies this week, potentially expanding into areas not yet under Israeli occupation.
While some within Israel’s political establishment favour annexation, the military has reportedly expressed concern over the manpower demands and long-term implications of such an operation.
Ceasefire efforts
Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong warned of the risk that “there will be no Palestine left to recognise,” expressing alarm at the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
She noted that the recognition of Palestinian statehood was a matter of “when, not if”, but declined to say whether further sanctions against Israel were under consideration.
Australia has already sanctioned two far-right Israeli ministers and extremist settlers.
In Washington, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the crisis with his British and French counterparts, reaffirming efforts to reach a ceasefire and secure the release of hostages.
According to the US State Department, the talks also addressed the need to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
Controversy over aid mechanism
Israel’s military agency COGAT announced a new plan on Tuesday to allow the gradual and controlled entry of goods into Gaza through local merchants.
This move is intended to bypass reliance on international organisations like the UN. Approved goods include baby food, basic staples, fruits, vegetables and hygiene products.
📍Following the Cabinet’s decision to expand the scope of humanitarian aid, a mechanism was approved for the gradual and controlled renewal of the entry of goods through the private sector in Gaza. This aims to increase the volume of aid entering the Gaza Strip, while reducing…
— COGAT (@cogatonline) August 5, 2025
Palestinian and UN officials estimate that around 600 aid trucks are needed daily to meet the enclave’s humanitarian needs, the same number that entered Gaza before the war. Current aid flows fall far short of this requirement.
The United Nations has distanced itself from the GHF mechanism, questioning its neutrality and warning that it has militarised aid delivery.
Since May, over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed while trying to access aid near GHF-operated sites, according to UN estimates.
GHF has denied that its distribution sites were responsible for the fatalities, attributing the deaths to other convoys.
Hostage situation
Ceasefire negotiations, supported by the US and other international mediators, recently collapsed in Doha.
The proposed deal included a 60-day truce, increased aid deliveries, and a prisoner-hostage exchange. However, no breakthrough was achieved.
According to Israeli sources, cited by Israeli media, 50 hostages remain in Gaza, but only 20 are believed to be alive.
Hamas has thus far barred humanitarian agencies from accessing the hostages. In a rare gesture, the group said it would coordinate with the Red Cross for aid delivery to the captives, provided
Israel halts airstrikes and permanently opens humanitarian corridors.
