The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has escalated amid ongoing Israeli military actions and a blockade that has severely restricted access to food, water, medicine, and vital services. Reports indicate that starvation is being used as a weapon of war, with Gaza entering a fifth stage of famine. UNICEF has highlighted that an average of 28 children die daily in Gaza due to bombardments, malnutrition, starvation, and lack of essential services, equating to the size of a classroom. Since May 2025, more than 1,000 people have died while seeking food, with recent incidents including 27 civilians killed in such circumstances. The crisis has led to severe health consequences, including the emergence of medical conditions like marasmus and Guillain-Barré syndrome. Palestinian leader Osama Hamdan of Hamas described Gaza as an open-air prison subjected to complete extermination by Israel. He also condemned the Israeli government's treatment of prisoners, citing the deaths of 76 detainees due to starvation and medical neglect in Israeli jails. The situation has drawn warnings of a looming health catastrophe and has been described as a crime committed in international silence.