Germany's Merz says Gaza Aid Airdrops Could Start as Soon as Wednesday
A Palestinian carries a bag with aid supplies that entered Gaza through Israel, in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, July 27. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
Deaths from malnutrition in Gaza rise at alarming rateA Palestinian carries a bag with aid supplies that entered Gaza through Israel, in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, July 27. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
29 July 2025
AD ـ 04 Safar 1447 AH
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that two of the country's aircraft could fly aid airdrop missions from Jordan to Gaza as soon as Wednesday, calling the help a small but important signal, Reuters reported.
"This work may only make a small contribution to humanitarian aid, but it sends an important signal: We are here, we are in the region," said Merz at a press conference alongside Jordan's King Abdullah in Berlin.
Two A400M aircraft were on their way to Jordan at the moment, where they would refuel and then fly their aid mission at the weekend at the latest, in coordination with France and Germany, said Merz.
Merz also welcomed initial steps taken by Israel to allow in aid but said more must follow.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that two of the country's aircraft could fly aid airdrop missions from Jordan to Gaza as soon as Wednesday, calling the help a small but important signal, Reuters reported.
"This work may only make a small contribution to humanitarian aid, but it sends an important signal: We are here, we are in the region," said Merz at a press conference alongside Jordan's King Abdullah in Berlin.
Two A400M aircraft were on their way to Jordan at the moment, where they would refuel and then fly their aid mission at the weekend at the latest, in coordination with France and Germany, said Merz.
Merz also welcomed initial steps taken by Israel to allow in aid but said more must follow.
Israel must quickly improve situation in Gaza, says German chancellor
MEMO
July 29, 2025
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (R) and Jordanian King Abdullah II speak to the media following talks at the Chancellery on July 29, 2025 in Berlin, Germany. [Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images]
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Tuesday called on Israel to urgently improve the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, warning that initial steps are welcome but insufficient, Anadolu reports.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Berlin with Jordan’s King Abdullah, Merz confirmed that two German aircraft may begin airdropping humanitarian aid from Jordan into Gaza as early as Wednesday.
“Sending aid by air signals clearly that we are present and actively helping,” Merz said, underlining Germany’s commitment to alleviating civilian suffering in the Palestinian enclave.
He stressed that further progress is necessary to prevent a worsening crisis.
Merz also issued a strong warning against any further moves toward annexation of the occupied West Bank.
“There can be no further steps or actions toward annexation,” he said, referring to growing international concerns over Israel’s settlement expansion and potential territorial claims.
Merz added that recognition of a Palestinian state must be viewed as one of the final steps within the framework of a negotiated two-state solution.
READ: France, Britain and Germany call for end to war in Gaza
He stressed that Germany remains firmly committed to this goal and is working with international partners to revive the peace process.
Merz also said that Berlin, Paris, and London are considering sending their foreign ministers to Israel in a joint diplomatic initiative aimed at encouraging de-escalation and advancing a political resolution to the conflict.
King Abdullah called on the international community “to take immediate and unified action to halt the alarming spread of famine and suffering among Gazans.”
“We must all work together to push for an end to the war and escalations in order to create a political horizon to pave the way for a just and comprehensive peace on the basis of a two-state solution,” Abdullah said in comments cited by a royal court statement.
He renewed calls for a lasting ceasefire in Gaza and “unimpeded access for humanitarian assistance” across the enclave.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 147 people have died of starvation since October 2023 – when Israel started its relentless offensive – including 88 children.
Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in Gaza since October 2023. The relentless bombardment has devastated the enclave and led to a severe hunger crisis.
On Monday, Israeli rights groups B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, citing the systematic destruction of Palestinian society and the deliberate dismantling of the territory’s health care system.
MEMO
July 29, 2025
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (R) and Jordanian King Abdullah II speak to the media following talks at the Chancellery on July 29, 2025 in Berlin, Germany. [Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images]
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Tuesday called on Israel to urgently improve the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, warning that initial steps are welcome but insufficient, Anadolu reports.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Berlin with Jordan’s King Abdullah, Merz confirmed that two German aircraft may begin airdropping humanitarian aid from Jordan into Gaza as early as Wednesday.
“Sending aid by air signals clearly that we are present and actively helping,” Merz said, underlining Germany’s commitment to alleviating civilian suffering in the Palestinian enclave.
He stressed that further progress is necessary to prevent a worsening crisis.
Merz also issued a strong warning against any further moves toward annexation of the occupied West Bank.
“There can be no further steps or actions toward annexation,” he said, referring to growing international concerns over Israel’s settlement expansion and potential territorial claims.
Merz added that recognition of a Palestinian state must be viewed as one of the final steps within the framework of a negotiated two-state solution.
READ: France, Britain and Germany call for end to war in Gaza
He stressed that Germany remains firmly committed to this goal and is working with international partners to revive the peace process.
Merz also said that Berlin, Paris, and London are considering sending their foreign ministers to Israel in a joint diplomatic initiative aimed at encouraging de-escalation and advancing a political resolution to the conflict.
King Abdullah called on the international community “to take immediate and unified action to halt the alarming spread of famine and suffering among Gazans.”
“We must all work together to push for an end to the war and escalations in order to create a political horizon to pave the way for a just and comprehensive peace on the basis of a two-state solution,” Abdullah said in comments cited by a royal court statement.
He renewed calls for a lasting ceasefire in Gaza and “unimpeded access for humanitarian assistance” across the enclave.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 147 people have died of starvation since October 2023 – when Israel started its relentless offensive – including 88 children.
Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in Gaza since October 2023. The relentless bombardment has devastated the enclave and led to a severe hunger crisis.
On Monday, Israeli rights groups B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, citing the systematic destruction of Palestinian society and the deliberate dismantling of the territory’s health care system.
German human rights groups accuse Israel of committing genocide in Gaza
July 29, 2025
Julia Durchow (C), Medico International’s Riad Othman (R) and Professor Gerlachlus Duijzings (L) attend the press briefing in Berlin, Germany on July 29, 2025. [İlkin Eskipehlivan – Anadolu Agency]
Two leading German human rights groups have accused Israel of “committing genocide” against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and “deliberately” starving them to death, Anadolu reports.
“We also come to the conclusion that Israel has committed and continues to commit genocide against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip through its warfare,” Julia Durchow, secretary general of the German branch of Amnesty International, told a news conference in Berlin.
Israel’s mass killings in the enclave prove its “genocidal intentions,” she added.
Durchow said that “according to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, the deliberate starvation of the civilian population is a war crime.”
“If the starvation of the population takes place as part of a widespread or systematic attack on the civilian population, it may also constitute a crime against humanity,” she added.
She strongly criticized Germany’s Israel policy.
The German government must “stop arms deliveries to Israel, call war crimes by their name, and end one-sided partisanship. Germany must not stand unconditionally on the side of any state. It stands on the foundation of human rights,” she said.
READ: Israel in breach of EU Association Agreement, says European commissioner for Mediterranean
Raid Othman of the German section of Medico International warned about a mounting death toll as a result of Israel’s starvation campaign.
“Hunger doesn’t appear overnight. It was deliberately brought to Gaza over a long period of time. For countless people, any help will come too late, even if Israel were to open all land crossings tomorrow,” he said.
At least 14 more Palestinians, including two children, have died of starvation in Gaza in the last 24 hours as a famine that was introduced by Israel’s months-long siege continues to worsen, the Palestinian Health Ministry said Monday.
The new fatalities brought the death toll from starvation in Gaza since October 2023 to 147, including 88 children.
Israel has imposed a blockade on Gaza for 18 years, and since March 2, 2o25, has closed all crossings, worsening humanitarian conditions in the enclave.
Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, killing nearly 60,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children. The relentless bombardment has destroyed the enclave and led to food shortages.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
July 29, 2025
Anadolu Agency
Julia Durchow (C), Medico International’s Riad Othman (R) and Professor Gerlachlus Duijzings (L) attend the press briefing in Berlin, Germany on July 29, 2025. [İlkin Eskipehlivan – Anadolu Agency]
Two leading German human rights groups have accused Israel of “committing genocide” against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and “deliberately” starving them to death, Anadolu reports.
“We also come to the conclusion that Israel has committed and continues to commit genocide against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip through its warfare,” Julia Durchow, secretary general of the German branch of Amnesty International, told a news conference in Berlin.
Israel’s mass killings in the enclave prove its “genocidal intentions,” she added.
Durchow said that “according to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, the deliberate starvation of the civilian population is a war crime.”
“If the starvation of the population takes place as part of a widespread or systematic attack on the civilian population, it may also constitute a crime against humanity,” she added.
She strongly criticized Germany’s Israel policy.
The German government must “stop arms deliveries to Israel, call war crimes by their name, and end one-sided partisanship. Germany must not stand unconditionally on the side of any state. It stands on the foundation of human rights,” she said.
READ: Israel in breach of EU Association Agreement, says European commissioner for Mediterranean
Raid Othman of the German section of Medico International warned about a mounting death toll as a result of Israel’s starvation campaign.
“Hunger doesn’t appear overnight. It was deliberately brought to Gaza over a long period of time. For countless people, any help will come too late, even if Israel were to open all land crossings tomorrow,” he said.
At least 14 more Palestinians, including two children, have died of starvation in Gaza in the last 24 hours as a famine that was introduced by Israel’s months-long siege continues to worsen, the Palestinian Health Ministry said Monday.
The new fatalities brought the death toll from starvation in Gaza since October 2023 to 147, including 88 children.
Israel has imposed a blockade on Gaza for 18 years, and since March 2, 2o25, has closed all crossings, worsening humanitarian conditions in the enclave.
Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, killing nearly 60,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children. The relentless bombardment has destroyed the enclave and led to food shortages.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
Nearly one in five children under five in Gaza city is now acutely malnourished
Fadah Jassem
July 29, 2025
A total of 14 people died from malnutrition in a 24-hour period on Monday, July 28, the Gaza Health Ministry said. This brings the total number of deaths from malnutrition to 128 in the territory since the start of Israel's war on Gaza in October 2023. By December of that year, the first cases of malnutrition were reported, as Israel began to limit aid into the besieged enclave.
The ministry also reported that of the 74 malnutrition-related deaths so far this year, 63 were in July – including 24 children under five, one aged five or older, and 38 adults. Most of these people were declared dead on arrival at health facilities or died shortly after, their bodies showing clear signs of severe wasting.
The World Health Organisation has warned that malnutrition rates have reached "alarming levels". Nearly one in five children under five in Gaza city is now acutely malnourished. Global Acute Malnutrition, which measures the percentage of children aged six to 59 months suffering from acute malnutrition, has tripled since June, making it the worst-hit area in the Gaza Strip.
'Worst-case scenario' warns UN watchdog
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) issued an alert on Tuesday over the rise in hunger-related deaths in the enclave, and added that access to food and other essential items has plummeted to unprecedented levels.
"Famine thresholds have been reached for food consumption in most of the Gaza Strip," wrote the IPC in a report.
"Immediate action must be taken to allow for unimpeded, large-scale, life-saving humanitarian response. This is the only path to stopping further deaths and catastrophic human suffering."
Updated: July 30, 2025
Emaciated Palestinian child embodies Gaza’s starvation crisis despite Israeli denial
‘Once the siege and the closure of crossings depleted hospitals’ medicine stocks and nutritional supplements, Mohammad’s condition deteriorated to acute malnutrition,’ clinical nutrition specialist Suzan Marouf tells Anadolu
Betul Yilmaz |29.07.2025 - TRT/AA
A 1.5-year-old Palestinian boy Muhammad Zakariya Ayyoub
ISTANBUL
In a makeshift tent sheltering the displaced Al-Motawwaq family in western Gaza City, one-and-a-half-year-old Mohammad lies motionless on a worn-out mattress. His frail body is a stark testament to the Israeli siege depriving Gaza’s 2.4 million residents of basic needs, including food and medicine.
Images of Mohammad, a toddler whose body has withered to skin and bones, have confronted the world with the grim reality of Israel’s starvation policy in the Gaza Strip.
Several Israeli accounts shared Mohammad’s photos in recent days, claiming that his medical condition caused him severe weight loss, not Israel’s starvation policy in the Gaza Strip.
However, Suzan Marouf, a clinical nutrition specialist at the Patient Friend’s Hospital, confirmed that Mohammad’s health deteriorated due to severe malnutrition that resulted from the ongoing Israeli siege.
Israel has maintained a blockade on Gaza for 18 years, and since March 2 has sealed all border crossings, blocking the entry of humanitarian aid and worsening already dire conditions in the enclave.
When Mohammad’s family brought him to the hospital a month ago, doctors diagnosed him with moderate malnutrition on top of congenital health problems, including brain complications and muscle atrophy.
Marouf told Anadolu they had been trying to stabilize Mohammad’s condition with the last remaining nutritional supplements.
“The medical issues he had weren’t significantly affecting his weight,” Marouf said.
“But once the siege and the closure of crossings depleted hospitals’ medicine stocks and nutritional supplements, Mohammad’s condition deteriorated to acute malnutrition,” she added.
Marouf warned that child deaths from malnutrition could escalate in the coming days “if the current situation continues.”
Like many other hospitals in Gaza, Patient Friend’s now lacks supplements, baby formula, and even patient beds, forcing two children to share one bed.
Israeli war on children
Speaking to Anadolu, Mohammad’s mother, Hidaya Al-Motawwaq, said her son has lost nearly 3 kilograms in recent weeks.
“Before the latest displacement, Mohammad weighed 9 kilograms. At that time, food was available, and we could meet our children’s needs,” she said.
“But now the occupation is waging war on us and our children. The lack of food and the ongoing famine have deeply affected my son Mohammad,” she added.
The helpless mother recalled that after months of physical therapy and proper nutrition, Mohammad had been able to stand on his feet.
“He used to laugh like other children and eat well. But now, with skyrocketing prices, I can’t even provide him with formula milk or diapers.”
Following the family’s most recent displacement, Mohammad suffered a severe setback due to renewed malnutrition, leading to further muscle atrophy, serious health complications, and drastic weight loss that left him unable to stand or move.
The grieving mother said she is often forced to feed her son lentils or pasta obtained from distribution sites, even though such food is unsuitable for a child his age.
“Sometimes, when Mohammad wakes up crying at night, I give him water instead of milk—just to silence his hunger,” Hidaya said.
Appealing to the international community, she added, “Please look at my son Mohammad’s case and provide him with the most basic things — his daily milk and diapers.”
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 147 people, including 88 children, have died of starvation since Israel launched its relentless offensive in October 2023.
Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in Gaza since October. The unrelenting bombardment has devastated the enclave and triggered a deepening hunger crisis.
On Monday, Israeli rights groups B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, citing the systematic destruction of Palestinian society and the deliberate dismantling of its healthcare system.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
‘Once the siege and the closure of crossings depleted hospitals’ medicine stocks and nutritional supplements, Mohammad’s condition deteriorated to acute malnutrition,’ clinical nutrition specialist Suzan Marouf tells Anadolu
Betul Yilmaz |29.07.2025 - TRT/AA
A 1.5-year-old Palestinian boy Muhammad Zakariya Ayyoub
ISTANBUL
In a makeshift tent sheltering the displaced Al-Motawwaq family in western Gaza City, one-and-a-half-year-old Mohammad lies motionless on a worn-out mattress. His frail body is a stark testament to the Israeli siege depriving Gaza’s 2.4 million residents of basic needs, including food and medicine.
Images of Mohammad, a toddler whose body has withered to skin and bones, have confronted the world with the grim reality of Israel’s starvation policy in the Gaza Strip.
Several Israeli accounts shared Mohammad’s photos in recent days, claiming that his medical condition caused him severe weight loss, not Israel’s starvation policy in the Gaza Strip.
However, Suzan Marouf, a clinical nutrition specialist at the Patient Friend’s Hospital, confirmed that Mohammad’s health deteriorated due to severe malnutrition that resulted from the ongoing Israeli siege.
Israel has maintained a blockade on Gaza for 18 years, and since March 2 has sealed all border crossings, blocking the entry of humanitarian aid and worsening already dire conditions in the enclave.
When Mohammad’s family brought him to the hospital a month ago, doctors diagnosed him with moderate malnutrition on top of congenital health problems, including brain complications and muscle atrophy.
Marouf told Anadolu they had been trying to stabilize Mohammad’s condition with the last remaining nutritional supplements.
“The medical issues he had weren’t significantly affecting his weight,” Marouf said.
“But once the siege and the closure of crossings depleted hospitals’ medicine stocks and nutritional supplements, Mohammad’s condition deteriorated to acute malnutrition,” she added.
Marouf warned that child deaths from malnutrition could escalate in the coming days “if the current situation continues.”
Like many other hospitals in Gaza, Patient Friend’s now lacks supplements, baby formula, and even patient beds, forcing two children to share one bed.
Israeli war on children
Speaking to Anadolu, Mohammad’s mother, Hidaya Al-Motawwaq, said her son has lost nearly 3 kilograms in recent weeks.
“Before the latest displacement, Mohammad weighed 9 kilograms. At that time, food was available, and we could meet our children’s needs,” she said.
“But now the occupation is waging war on us and our children. The lack of food and the ongoing famine have deeply affected my son Mohammad,” she added.
The helpless mother recalled that after months of physical therapy and proper nutrition, Mohammad had been able to stand on his feet.
“He used to laugh like other children and eat well. But now, with skyrocketing prices, I can’t even provide him with formula milk or diapers.”
Following the family’s most recent displacement, Mohammad suffered a severe setback due to renewed malnutrition, leading to further muscle atrophy, serious health complications, and drastic weight loss that left him unable to stand or move.
The grieving mother said she is often forced to feed her son lentils or pasta obtained from distribution sites, even though such food is unsuitable for a child his age.
“Sometimes, when Mohammad wakes up crying at night, I give him water instead of milk—just to silence his hunger,” Hidaya said.
Appealing to the international community, she added, “Please look at my son Mohammad’s case and provide him with the most basic things — his daily milk and diapers.”
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 147 people, including 88 children, have died of starvation since Israel launched its relentless offensive in October 2023.
Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in Gaza since October. The unrelenting bombardment has devastated the enclave and triggered a deepening hunger crisis.
On Monday, Israeli rights groups B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, citing the systematic destruction of Palestinian society and the deliberate dismantling of its healthcare system.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
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