5-year-old dies of malnutrition as Israel siege leaves Gaza starving

A five-year-old boy was the latest child to die of malnutrition on Thursday (28 March) in besieged and bombarded Gaza. 

In the mean time, a United Nations agency has warned that "time is running out" to prevent famine in Gaza and urged Israel to lift aid restrictions immediately, reports Al Jazeera.

The child, Mohammed Naeem al-Najar, died of malnutrition at Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza.

His father, Naeem Ibrahim Najjar, from Jabalia, said his child was like "a blooming rose". "He did not suffer from any disease. My child died before my eyes because of hunger," he said.

The man had appealed for help in a video interview before his son's death. "I cannot provide him with milk and healthy food and he does not even respond to treatment due to malnutrition. We appeal to everyone to save us," he said.

Hossam Abu Safia, director of Kamal Adwan Medical Hospital, said Naim showed advanced signs of dehydration and malnutrition and that his condition was dealt with using the means available to the hospital.

"We will lose more children if families are not provided with the necessary food," he said.

At least 32,552 Palestinians have been killed and 74,980 wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7. 

The death toll in Israel from Hamas's October 7 attack stands at 1,139 with dozens still held captive, as of Thursday. 

Two people have been injured and there's been "material damage" after the latest air raid by the Israeli military on Damascus, according to Syrian state media.

The state-run SANA news agency reports, citing an unnamed military source, the Israeli air force targeted a residential building. It did not provide further details.

The Israeli military rarely comments on its repeated attacks on Syria, which have significantly increased since the start of its war on Gaza.

Plus, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ordered "unhindered" aid to Gaza "at scale". 

The ICJ has yet again ordered Israel to prevent genocide, giving it one month to report on compliance.

In a footage obtained by Al Jazeera today, unarmed Palestinian men – one repeatedly waving a piece of white cloth in a sign of surrender – before Israeli troops shot them dead and then bury their bodies with a bulldozer near Gaza City.

Meanwhile, Hamas has condemned the killings, saying it is "further evidence of the scale of fascism and criminality that governs Zionist behaviour".