Israel Kills 1373 People Since 27 May

• CrossFireArabia
• August 1, 2025

Despite Israel’s 27 July announcement of daily military pauses in western Gaza “to improve humanitarian responses,” Israeli forces continued attacks along food convoy routes and near Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) aid sites, according to the UN human rights office in Palestine (OHCHR). 

Between 30 and 31 July alone, 105 Palestinians were killed and at least 680 more injured along the convoy routes in the Zikim area in North Gaza, southern Khan Younis, and in the vicinity of the GHF sites in Middle Gaza and Rafah, the office (OHCHR) said in a press release issued on Friday

In total, since 27 May, at least 1,373 Palestinians have been killed while seeking food; 859 in the vicinity of the GHF sites and 514 along the routes of food convoys.

OHCHR noted that most of the killings were committed by the Israeli military, and that while it is aware of the presence of other armed elements in the same areas, it does not have information indicating their involvement in the killings.

“[The office] has no information that these Palestinians were directly participating in hostilities or posed any threat to Israeli security forces or other individuals. Each person killed or injured had been desperately struggling for survival, not only for themselves, but also for their families and dependents,” it said.

Uphold international law

The office emphasized that intentionally directing attacks against civilians not taking direct part in hostilities and intentionally using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare by depriving them of objects indispensable to their survival, including willfully impeding relief supplies, are war crimes.  

“If part of a systematic or widespread attack on the civilian population, these may also constitute crimes against humanity,” OHCHR added, noting that the cumulative impact of these incidents and humanitarian access restrictions.

“Each of these killings must be promptly and independently investigated, and those responsible held to account. Urgent measures must be put in place to prevent recurrence,” it said.

Airdrops not effective

Meanwhile, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), underscored the need to open road crossings to supply aid at scale across the Gaza Strip.

“Airdrops are at least 100 times more costly than trucks. Trucks carry twice as much aid as planes,” UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said on social media.  

“If there is political will to allow airdrops – which are highly costly, insufficient and inefficient, there should be similar political will to open the road crossings,” he stressed.

Mr. Lazzarini further noted that UNRWA has 6,000 trucks loaded with aid stuck outside Gaza waiting permission to enter.  

During the ceasefire earlier this year, UNRWA and other UN agencies were able to bring in 500 to 600 trucks of aid each day.  

“Aid reached the entire population of Gaza in safety and dignity. It succeeded to reverse the deepening starvation without any aid diversion,” the UNRWA head said.

“Let us go back to what works and let us do our job.” 

UN News

Israel Soldier Begs For Food Before He Dies of Hunger

• CrossFireArabia
• August 1, 2025

“Please bring food in before I die of hunger. I am on the verge of death and living in hell,” said the captive Israeli soldier Rom Barslavsky, appealing to his government in a message described by Saraya al-Quds, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad movement, as the last before losing contact with the group holding him captive in the Gaza Strip.

The Saraya broadcast a video of the 22-year-old Israeli captive from occupied Jerusalem, appearing in his place of captivity, weeping, tired, and exhausted, tossing and turning in his bed.

The video was titled “Gaza… Killing by Starvation,” referring to the worsening humanitarian conditions in the Strip. The captive confirmed that he has been held by Saraya al-Quds for more than a year and nine months, noting that his suffering began following what he called the “Gideon’s Wagons” operation.

Barslavsky described his deteriorating health, saying: “I’m in a bad condition. I have pain in my feet and hands. Every time I try to get up and go to the bathroom, I feel dizzy and fall. I can’t breathe and I can’t continue living.”

The prisoner revealed a significant decrease in the amount of food he is provided, confirming that “from morning until night, there is nothing,” and that he eats “only three falafel sandwiches throughout the day” or “barely a plate of rice.”

He added, crying, “I simply don’t eat or drink. There is no food here. Food is scarce, and we can barely get it.”

The prisoner spoke about watching children in Gaza on television, saying, “I saw children dying of hunger, skeletons. I’ve never seen scenes like this before.”

He appealed to his government, “This is immoral. This is torture. This is torture against innocent children. What is their fault that you should do this to them?”

The prisoner begged Israeli officials, saying: “Stop this hell we’re living in. Stop this suffering. Please stop this war. Don’t continue killing young children. Don’t continue your campaign of starving them. These actions do not suit your conscience.”

Barslawski made a final plea, saying: “If not for the children of Gaza, then do it for your prisoners in Gaza. Bring in food and drink. I beg you.”

The video showed images of the prisoner writing in his diary in Hebrew while crying, in addition to previous photos of himself and children dying of hunger in Gaza.

The Al-Quds Brigades concluded the video with a clear message: “What our people are suffering, your prisoners are suffering,” linking the suffering of the prisoners to the suffering of the Palestinian people in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Al Jazeera