Dr Mads Gilbert, a Norweigan health physician who previously worked in Gaza, says more babies, children, and pregnant women are likely to die in the enclave due to a lack of food and water during the onslaught.

Those who do survive are likely to suffer long-term development problems, including stunting and disease, he says.

“There is a combination of malnutrition, starvation and thirst. This triangle will cause more death,” Gilbert told Al Jazeera.

“In Gaza what is needed is water and food — and it’s all available from the neighbouring country,” Gilbert added. “But Israel is stopping the entry of food and water to the people of Gaza, which is a huge war crime. How can the world just sit idle by and watch children dying from starvation?”

“This is not a tragedy. This is a man-made, meant–to-be starvation, forced upon the people of Gaza by the Israeli occupation forces…. It’s part of the politics of elimination of the Palestinian people,” he said.