At least 113 Palestinians have died due to hunger-related causes in Gaza since the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas in October 2023, according to figures released Thursday by the Gaza Health Ministry. Among the dead are 81 children, highlighting a deepening humanitarian catastrophe that international bodies now openly describe as “man-made.”

The ministry also reported over 28,000 cases of malnutrition across the war-torn enclave, with more than 5,000 cases emerging in July alone. These figures could not be independently verified, but they align with growing alarms from global aid groups.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has strongly condemned the unfolding crisis. “I don’t know what you would call it other than mass starvation, and it is man-made — that is very clear. This is because of the blockade,” said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus during a press briefing Wednesday.

In an unprecedented show of unity, over 100 humanitarian organizations issued a joint appeal this week, calling on world governments to intervene immediately. “They must stop waiting for permission,” the statement read, alluding to international hesitation and bureaucratic bottlenecks in aid delivery.

Before the war, Gaza received around 500 aid trucks daily. But since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, the Israeli military has imposed a strict blockade on the strip, effectively cutting off consistent humanitarian supply lines.

In a response to TIME, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) denied restricting aid, stating, “The State of Israel does not limit the number of humanitarian aid trucks entering the Gaza Strip.”

Despite such claims, ground reports and international observers cite logistical obstructions, border delays, and aerial bombardments as key factors preventing aid from reaching civilians in need.

As images of emaciated children and empty food warehouses emerge from Gaza, global pressure is mounting but for many families, the hunger is already irreversible.