Gaza Crisis: UN Decries Mass Starvation of Children Amid Blockade—Calls for Urgent Action
(Judicial Quest News Network)
GENEVA (21 May 2025) – The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has issued a stark condemnation of the ongoing blockade of humanitarian aid to Gaza, calling on the international community to pressure Israel into allowing the immediate delivery of essential food and medical supplies.
The crisis has escalated to alarming levels, with more than eleven weeks of obstructed aid access resulting in a dire food security emergency. According to UNICEF and WHO reports, over 50 children have already died from hunger, while thousands more remain in grave danger. If the blockade persists, an estimated 71,000 children under five could suffer from acute malnutrition in the coming year.
“The right to food is a fundamental human right, intrinsically linked to the right to life, and as such, it is non-derogable under international law,” the Committee stated.
Israel’s military actions have intensified the humanitarian disaster, with relentless strikes reportedly killing over 100 children just last week. The scale of daily attacks continues to push Gaza’s crisis to a breaking point.
“There is no justification for actions that so clearly violate international humanitarian law and human rights conventions, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide,” the Committee asserted.
Referencing the International Court of Justice (ICJ)’s Advisory Opinion of 19 July 2024, and Orders from January and May 2024 in the case South Africa v. Israel, the Committee reaffirmed the legal urgency of addressing violations against Palestinian children.
In its latest review of Israel last September, the Committee urged immediate action to ensure the right to life, survival, and development for all Palestinian children. It called on Israel to halt the ongoing violence, protect children, and ensure safe, unrestricted humanitarian access across Gaza.
