More than 100 aid agencies say 'mass starvation' spreading across Gaza

BBC update

MORE than 100 aid agencies warn that "mass starvation" is spreading across Gaza.

They accuse Israel of a "siege" and say Israel is not allowing food inside Gaza to be distributed.

The agencies' statement says they "are witnessing their own colleagues and partners waste away before their eyes".

On Tuesday, the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza said that 33 people had died of malnutrition in 48 hours.

Israel - which controls all border crossings in Gaza - said on Tuesday there were "950 trucks' worth of aid, currently waiting in Gaza for international organisations to pick up and distribute".

US defends controversial aid system as Gazans continue to starve

As aid agencies denounce the spread of "mass starvation" in Gaza, the US has been defending the controversial distribution scheme used to hand out food to Palestinians inside the enclave.

For two months, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), with the backing of Israel and Washington, has taken over from international aid organisations as the main distributor of aid in Gaza.

The UN has repeatedly condemned the plan, saying it would "militarise" aid. Since then, there have been near-daily reports of killings of people trying to collect food.

Israel's military has responded to some of these reports, saying it's fired "warning shots" at people who they described as "suspects" or posing a threat.

Pressed by the BBC that the approach is leading to starvation, a State Department spokeswoman says the current situation “works”. She claims it's stopping Hamas exploiting aid and called resistance to it bizarre.