147 deaths in Gaza due to starvation amid deepening humanitarian crisis

China

147 deaths in Gaza due to starvation amid deepening humanitarian crisis

2025-07-29 12:09 Last Updated At：16:07

Hospitals in Gaza have recorded that 14 more people died of hunger and malnutrition over the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of hunger- and malnutrition-related deaths to 147, including 88 children, health officials in Gaza said on Monday.

Israel has further tightened its blockade on Gaza since the conflict between Hamas and Israel erupted on October 7, 2023, causing severe shortage of food, drugs, fuels and other basic necessities.

Over the past few months, multiple international aid agencies including the United Nations (UN) have condemned Israel of blocking humanitarian aid and called for immediate lifting of blockade to prevent the humanitarian situation in Gaza from further worsening.

Meanwhile, two prominent Israeli human rights organizations, B'Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHRI), on Monday published separate reports alleging for the first time that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.

The B'Tselem report claimed that the Israeli military onslaught on Gaza, underway for more than 21 months, has included mass killings, both directly and through creating unlivable conditions.

This is compounded by mass arrests and abuse of Palestinians in Israeli prisons, which have effectively become torture camps, said the report. It also accused Israel of tearing apart the social fabric of Gaza, including the destruction of Palestinian educational and cultural institutions.

The report said it had reached the conclusion that Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

The second report, by the PHRI, said there is "a deliberate and cumulative dismantling of Gaza's healthcare system, and with it, the population's ability to survive." It noted that this amounts to genocide.

Israel has not responded to the reports.

Netanyahu on Sunday denied claims that Israel was applying a starvation campaign in Gaza.

Milano-Cortina Paralympics reveal opening, closing themes as Games draw near

The organizing committee of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games has unveiled the titles, creative visions, and first talents of the opening and closing ceremonies, as Thursday marked 50 days before the event officially gets underway.

Scheduled from March 6 to 15 across multiple Italian cities, the Games will bring together 665 athletes from 50 countries and regions to compete for 79 gold medals across six sporting disciplines.

The opening ceremony, titled "Life in Motion," will be staged at the historic Arena di Verona, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, presenting a tribute to change and transformation that seeks to redefine disability through a new harmony between people and the environment.

"I paid close attention to the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics, which I consider one of the three or four most beautiful in the history of Olympic ceremonies. This time at the ancient Arena di Verona, we will place greater emphasis on showcasing the human element," the ceremonies' artistic director Alfredo Accatino told a Chinese reporter at the event.

The closing ceremony, themed "Italian Souvenir," will be held on March 15 at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium, guiding athletes, volunteers, and fans through a journey that captures the emotions and memories of the Games after days of competition and achievement.

Craig Spence, the International Paralympic Committee's Chief Brand and Communications Officer, believes that Italy will deliver "the best Paralympic Games" following the benchmark set by the Beijing Winter Paralympics in 2022.

"I think what China did in Beijing has really set the benchmark for all future teams competing in the Paralympic Winter Games in terms of performance. That's why I think Milano-Cortina will be the best Paralympic Games we've ever seen for sports," he said.