News - Middle East: The Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas confirmed on Wednesday that the policy of starvation against the Gaza Strip is a continuation of genocidal crimes. Hamas called on Arab and Islamic countries to pressure for the opening of crossings and the delivery of aid.

According to the Palestinian Information Center, the movement stated: "While the fascist Israeli government continues its brutal massacres against unarmed civilians in Gaza, our Palestinian people are also facing an escalation of the brutal war of starvation. The humanitarian disaster and signs of famine in Gaza, especially in the Gaza and North Gaza governorates, are worsening due to the enemy's closure of crossings, the meager number of aid trucks allowed in, and the unjust siege imposed on Gaza, particularly after the occupation of the Rafah crossing and its closure to individuals and aid."

Hamas considers the use of starvation as a weapon by the criminal Israeli enemy during this fascist aggression a described war crime. It emphasizes that this continues the genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza through bombing, massacres, and starvation, in blatant violation of international laws.

The movement called on Arab and Islamic countries to exert efforts and pressure to open the crossings to aid the people in Gaza. It also called on the international community, the United Nations, and its institutions to intervene immediately to compel the fascist enemy government to stop its barbaric aggression against innocent civilians and to ensure the entry of aid and relief materials into all areas of the Gaza Strip facing famine and unprecedented humanitarian conditions due to the enemy's actions and the brutal Zionist killing machine.

In a related context, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, stated that the organization documented "32 deaths in Gaza due to malnutrition, including 28 cases among children under five."

In his statement on Wednesday, Ghebreyesus mentioned, "Since October 7, we have documented 480 attacks on health facilities in the West Bank, resulting in 16 deaths and 95 injuries."

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health in Gaza warned of the "shutdown of hospitals, health centers, and the only oxygen plant in Gaza City" due to the continued control and closure of crossings by the Israeli enemy.

The ministry's statement read, "In light of the ongoing Zionist aggression on Gaza and its control over crossings, we warn of the shutdown of hospitals, health centers, and the only oxygen plant in Gaza Governorate."

The ministry explained that the oxygen plant in Gaza Governorate is the sole source supplying health facilities and chronic patients with oxygen. It added that "halting operations would endanger the lives of dozens of patients and the injured."

The ministry also noted that the lack of diesel to operate the generator powering the refrigerators for medicine storage and the oxygen plant puts the medications at risk of spoilage.

The ministry called on relevant and humanitarian organizations to ensure the entry of the necessary fuel to operate generators and the oxygen plant, as well as the entry of electric generators and spare parts needed for maintenance.

The Israeli regime launched the war on October 7, following Al-Aqsa Storm, a retaliatory operation by Gaza’s resistance groups, during which some 250 people were taken captive.

Concomitantly with the war, the regime has been enforcing a near-total siege on Gaza, which has reduced the flow of foodstuffs, medicine, electricity, and water into the Palestinian territory to a trickle.

The brutal military onslaught has so far claimed the lives of at least 37,202 Palestinians, mostly women and children.