The Director-General of Gaza’s Ministry of Health, Dr. Munir al-Barsh, has declared that the unfolding famine in Gaza is not a natural disaster but a direct consequence of the Israeli occupation and relentless military aggression.

Speaking to media outlets, Dr. al-Barsh emphasized that the international community must urgently respond to the United Nations’ formal declaration of famine by ensuring the immediate delivery of food supplies to Gaza’s besieged population.

He painted a grim picture of Gaza’s collapsing health infrastructure:

• Hospitals are so overwhelmed that six children are being placed on a single bed.
• Since the beginning of the Israeli assault, more than 40,000 children have been injured.
• Over 150 warehouses containing essential medicines have been destroyed by Israeli strikes.
• At least 1,000 heart patients have died due to the lack of life-saving treatments.

Dr. al-Barsh rejected claims of COVID-19 presence in Gaza, stressing that the narrative of pandemic outbreaks is being used as a distraction from the real crisis—the deliberate targeting of Gaza’s medical system. He added that despite the unbearable conditions, people are unwilling to abandon Gaza City, highlighting the resilience of its diverse population, including its steadfast Christian community.

“Our decision is clear—we will not abandon our hospitals or our patients,” Dr. al-Barsh affirmed.

In a chilling revelation, he accused Israel of using booby-trapped robots in Jabalia, one of Gaza’s most devastated neighborhoods. “We found entire families crushed under rubble after these robotic explosions,” he said, calling it a new and brutal tactic in Israel’s campaign of destruction.