Hamas calls for global protest vs Israel Gaza starvation

Palestinian group Hamas on Saturday urged the international community to "raise its voice and take to the streets" in solidarity with Gaza and to denounce "Israel's policy of starvation and genocide."

"Let Sunday and the coming days be global days of rage and condemnation of the crimes committed against innocent civilians in Gaza," Hamas said in a statement.

It also urged joint Arab, Islamic, and international efforts to stop "the humanitarian catastrophe facing over 2 million Palestinians" in the blockaded enclave.

Earlier Saturday, the Gaza Health Ministry warned of worsening famine, citing rising deaths due to hunger and the collapse of medical infrastructure.

The Israeli army has killed nearly 59,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip since October 2023, most of them women and children. The relentless bombardment has destroyed the enclave, making it uninhabitable.

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees said people in Gaza are living under "bombardment, displacement, and siege." They are facing relentless summer heat with little to no shelter, clean water, or electricity.

Israel imposed a full humanitarian blockade of Gaza on March 2, cutting off food, medical supplies and other aid to the more than 2 million Palestinians in the territory.

Since late May, the UN agencies have been bypassed and the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation is operating aid distribution sites, leading to hundreds of deaths since then.