10 more Palestinians die of hunger in Gaza in a day as Pope condemns Israel’s ‘collective punishment’

Ten Palestinians, including two children, have died in Gaza of starvation in the last 24 hours, the Hamas-run health ministry has said, as Pope Leo XIV called for an end to the war and demanded that Israel stop its “collective punishment” of the population in the region.

“I beg for a permanent ceasefire to be reached, the safe entry of humanitarian aid to be facilitated and humanitarian law to be fully respected,” Leo said, adding that international law “prohibits collective punishment, indiscriminate use of force and the forced displacement of the population”.

Since the war in Gaza began and Israel tightened its siege on the territory, at least 313 people, including 119 children, have died from hunger. Last week, a UN-backed monitoring body confirmed that Gaza is experiencing famine and warned that, without a significant increase in aid, even more people will be cut off from access to food.

Israel carried on its offensive in the Palestinian region despite strong calls for a ceasefire. Israeli tanks were reportedly seen rolling into the outskirts of Gaza City overnight, leaving houses razed and displacing residents. The Gaza Health Ministry has said that at least 76 people have been killed in Israeli strikes in the last 24 hours.

UN declares famine in Gaza

Last week, the United Nations declared a famine in Gaza, with experts saying that 500,000 people are being affected by it.

UN aid chief Tom Fletcher said that the catastrophe, a first in West Asia, was entirely preventable and was caused by food being blocked from entering Palestine “because of systematic obstruction by Israel”.

“After 22 months of relentless conflict, over half a million people in the Gaza Strip are facing catastrophic conditions characterised by starvation, destitution and death,” the report said.

The famine is expected to spread to Deir el-Balah and Khan Yunis governorates by the end of September, covering at least two-thirds of the Palestinian population. This number, based on information gathered between July 1 and August 15, is expected to increase to nearly 641,000 people.

Trump holds Gaza meeting

President Donald Trump on Wednesday convened a high-level policy meeting to discuss the ongoing Gaza war, joined by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and former White House adviser Jared Kushner, according to a Reuters report, citing a senior US official.

The meeting, described by the official as “simply a policy session,” focused on key aspects of the Gaza conflict, including humanitarian aid deliveries, the hostage situation, and post-war reconstruction plans.

Trump was joined by top White House officials as well as Blair and Kushner, both of whom have long-standing experience with Middle East affairs.

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