3 million stung by deepening crises across war ravaged Gaza Strip

By Lovemore Chazingwa

With the incessant escalation of war tactics by Israeli forces on Gaza Strip, ballooning numbers of people, especially children, continue to bear the brunt as evidenced by the starvation and border barricading being imposed by Israel on Gaza Strip to fend off humanitarian relief aid.
Figures in reports coming off official outlets paint a gloomy picture of the status quo.
Official sources say, at least 2.1 million people in the Gaza Strip are suffering from a severe water crisis.
At the same time, the same sources indicate that more than 70 000 children in the world’s most populous Strip are suffering from severe malnutrition due to “the starvation policy that Israel continues to implement, following the closure of the crossings and the prevention of the entry of relief aid for more than two months.”
The humanitarian crises are exacerbated by the fact that, 70 percent of the Strip’s water infrastructure has been systematically destroyed as a result of Israeli military onslaught.
”Since March 2, the Israeli occupation authorities have closed the crossings with the Gaza Strip to the entry of food, relief, medical aid, and goods, causing a significant deterioration in the humanitarian situation for Palestinians,” Palestine
ambassador to Zimbabwe, Dr Tamer Almassri said in a media communique.
”A war of extermination is being waged against the Palestinian people, and whoever remains silent about this destruction targeting entire families is an eternal accomplice in one of the most serious crimes recorded in history.”
According to the Palestine office in Zimbabwe, more than 50 people have succumbed to starvation, indicating more are likely to starve to death if the situation does not improve.
”The death toll from starvation only has risen to 57 since the beginning of the aggression, warning of an increase in the number, given the closure of the crossings and the prevention of the entry of relief aid for more than two months.”
Fatalities and injuries in this round of attacks ignited on October 7, 2023 and resumed more than two months ago, keep skyrocketing.
“Since October 2023, the Israeli occupation forces have waged an ongoing offensive on the Gaza Strip, which has so far resulted in the martyring of 52,567 civilians, the majority of whom are children and women, and the injury of 118 610 others.”
Political analyst, Rashweat Mukudu finds this state of world affairs grossly unfair and disrespect on the people of Palestine. ”I think it’s the most unfair and anti-Palestine stance. This is a very serious violation which will not solve the problem but, make it worse. It’s a brutal felony on people who are being starved and killed. It is lack of respect for groups that have suffered so much. There is need to promote harmonious existence between Palestinians and Israelites.”
Al Jazeera quotes UN experts concerned about ‘annihilation’ as Gaza deaths mount. BBC reports that Hamas say Gaza talks are pointless as Israel continues with its starvation war.