Former US President Barack Obama has called for immediate global intervention to prevent the growing humanitarian disaster in Gaza, where hunger and malnutrition have reached critical levels. Describing the situation as a “preventable travesty,” Obama emphasized that food and water must not be withheld from innocent civilians and that aid deliveries must be allowed without obstruction.

In a statement shared on social media, Obama said that while a lasting peace would require both the return of hostages and an end to Israeli military operations, the current crisis demands swift humanitarian measures. "There is no justification for keeping food and water away from civilian families," he said, stressing that the international community must act urgently to save lives.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Sunday raised alarms over the escalating malnutrition in Gaza, where nearly one in five children is now acutely malnourished. According to WHO data, 63 of the 74 reported malnutrition-related deaths in 2025 occurred in July alone, including 24 children under the age of five. WHO condemned the deliberate blocking of aid, stating it was entirely preventable and had already claimed many lives.

In response to increasing global pressure, the Israeli military announced a daily 10-hour “tactical pause” in three populated areas of Gaza, aimed at allowing more humanitarian aid into the region. The pause, which runs from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm, is expected to continue until further notice. Israel has maintained that aid restrictions are necessary due to concerns that Hamas diverts supplies for its own use.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged the need for humanitarian access but framed it as a controlled measure. “Whichever path we choose, we will have to continue to allow the entry of minimal humanitarian supplies,” he said. As the crisis deepens, international voices, including Obama’s, are calling for an urgent scale-up of aid to avert mass starvation in the densely populated territory of over 2 million people.