MADRID (AP) - A 20-year-old Palestinian woman named Marah Abu Zuhri, who was described as being in a state of severe physical deterioration, has died after being transferred to Italy for medical treatment. The news was announced by Pisa University Hospital on Saturday, following her admission late Wednesday. She arrived in Italy as part of a humanitarian mission from the Gaza Strip, where she was reported to have had a complex and compromised clinical condition.
The hospital stated that Abu Zuhri went into respiratory crisis before eventually suffering a cardiac arrest, despite receiving tests and supportive therapy upon her arrival. She traveled to Italy with her mother, part of a larger group of nearly 120 individuals evacuated from Gaza, which included 31 patients and their families. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani revealed that this was the largest medical evacuation of Palestinians conducted by Italy since January 2024.
While the hospital did not specify if Abu Zuhri was suffering from malnutrition, they confirmed that she arrived in a severely deteriorated state. The situation has drawn attention to the growing concerns over malnutrition in Gaza, particularly among children. Earlier this week, United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric reported that starvation and malnutrition levels in Gaza were the highest since the onset of the Israel-Hamas conflict. In July alone, nearly 12,000 children under the age of five were found to have acute malnutrition, with over 2,500 categorized as severely malnourished, a condition considered extremely dangerous. The World Health Organization has indicated that these figures are likely an undercount.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed that there is no starvation in Gaza, stating, "There is no policy of starvation in Gaza, and there is no starvation in Gaza.” This statement has been met with skepticism, as evidenced by the images of emaciated individuals emerging from the region. In response, U.S. President Donald Trump questioned Netanyahu's assertions, suggesting that the visuals of hungry children contradicted the Israeli leader's claims.
In recent developments, Israel has increased the flow of food into Gaza, allowing approximately three times the amount of supplies compared to what was being permitted since late May 2023. This change came after an extended period of restricted access lasting 2.5 months, during which Israel prohibited all food, medicine, and other supplies, citing the need to pressure Hamas for the release of hostages taken during the conflict that began in October 2023.
The death of Marah Abu Zuhri has highlighted the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza and the urgent global response needed to address the escalating health crisis in the region. As the conflict continues, the international community is increasingly called upon to address the pressing needs of those affected by the ongoing violence and instability.
