Gaza’s Health Ministry confirmed on Sunday that eight Palestinians, among them a child, lost their lives within the past 24 hours due to hunger, as Israel’s blockade continues to cut off food and vital supplies to the enclave.

According to Health Ministry Director General Munir al-Bursh, who issued a statement on the platform X, these latest deaths raise the number of Palestinians who have perished from malnutrition since October 2023 to 289, among them 115 children.

The starvation crisis comes against the backdrop of Israel’s broader military offensive, which has so far claimed the lives of more than 62,600 people in Gaza. Entire neighborhoods lie in ruins, and international agencies warn that the besieged territory is now on the brink of famine.