The tragic death of Atef Abu Khater, a 17-year-old Palestinian, from starvation in Gaza casts a devastating spotlight on the severe humanitarian crisis gripping the besieged territory. His passing underscores the critical and worsening conditions faced by countless civilians desperately seeking sustenance amidst the ongoing aid blockade.

Atef’s family recounts a harrowing decline, revealing how the once healthy teenager, with no pre-existing conditions, saw his weight plummet from 70kg (154lbs) to a mere 25kg (55lbs) before his death. This drastic weight loss, indicative of severe malnutrition in Gaza, paints a grim picture of the extreme food scarcity plaguing the region.

Medical officials and family members have confirmed that Atef was hospitalized due to acute complications arising from the lack of food and adequate medical care. Accounts from those who knew him emphasize that he was a local sports champion, making his rapid deterioration and eventual death from hunger all the more shocking and tragic.

Disturbing footage, verified by Al Jazeera, shows Atef’s emaciated body, a stark and undeniable testament to the brutal realities of starvation in Gaza. Journalist Wisam Shabat, who shared the video, highlighted the critical state in which Atef arrived at the hospital, further emphasizing the dire consequences of the ongoing lack of food and medical supplies.

Atef is not an isolated case; the director of al-Shifa Hospital reported that he is one of at least seven Palestinians who succumbed to malnutrition in Gaza within a 24-hour period. This alarming statistic points to a systemic crisis, with hunger claiming lives at an escalating rate across the territory.

Since October 2023, the Gaza Health Ministry figures indicate that at least 169 Palestinians, including 93 children, have died due to starvation and malnutrition. These numbers underscore the catastrophic impact of the conflict and the severe restrictions on humanitarian aid, turning hunger into a weapon of war.

Humanitarian organizations have vehemently criticized current aid distribution methods, particularly airdrops, deeming them both dangerous and inefficient. They have consistently called for Israel to open all border crossings into Gaza, urging for unrestricted and continuous flow of humanitarian aid to reach the Palestinian population in desperate need.

Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), recently stated that the “manmade famine in Gaza has been largely shaped by the deliberate attempts to replace” established UN aid systems with a contentious US and Israeli-backed group, the GHF. This highlights the political dimensions exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Reporters on the ground, like Al Jazeera’s Hind Khoudary, continue to document the unfolding tragedy, citing cases such as Misk al-Madhoun, a five-year-old suffering from severe malnutrition whose parents are helpless to feed her. Such individual stories serve as poignant reminders of the collective suffering and the urgent need for intervention to prevent further loss of life due to the Israeli blockade and humanitarian crisis.