GOOD EVENING.

I'M LISA DESJARDINS.

JOHN YANG IS AWAY.

A PIVOTAL MOMENT FOR LIVES AND THE CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLE EAST AS DEATHS FROM HUNGER RISE IN GAZA.

TODAY THE ISRAELI MILITARY ANNOUNCED IT WILL BEGIN AIRDROPS OF AID AND WILL OPEN MORE HUMANITARIAN CORRIDORS TO BRING IN FOOD.

BUT THE UN AND AID GROUPS HAVE CRITICIZED AIR DROPS AS INADEQUATE AND DANGEROUS.

THE GAZA HEALTH MINISTRY REPORTED THAT IN THE LAST DAY, FIVE PEOPLE DIED OF MALNUTRITION AND STARVATION, INCLUDING A BABY GIRL.

SHE IS ONE OF 85 CHILDREN TO DIE OF MALNUTRITION OVER THE LAST THREE WEEKS, THE MINISTRY SAID.

- - ALSO CAME FROM ABOVE.

AT LEAST 42 PEOPLE IN GAZA WERE KILLED BY GUNFIRE AND AIRSTRIKES, ACCORIDING TO GAZA HEALTH OFFICIALS.

HALF WERE SHOT WHILE WAITING FOR AID.

EARLIER TODAY, I SPOKE WITH A LEADING AID WORKER WHO IS IN GAZA.

RACHAEL CUMMINGS IS WITH SAVE THE CHILDREN.

I BEGAN BY ASKING WHAT SHE SEES.

RACHEL: THE SITUATION IN GAZA IS CATASTROPHIC FOR CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES.

WE ARE SEEING NOW I SHARP RISE IN THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN COMING TO OUR CLINICS WHO ARE MALNOURISHED.

VERY DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT PREGNANT WOMEN AND LACTATING BREAST-FEEDING WOMEN COMING TO OUR CLINIC WHO ARE MALNOURISHED.

WE ARE HEARING OF PEOPLE DYING FROM STARVATION.

THIS IS DEEPLY CONCERNING.

WE EXPECT NOW AN EXPONENTIAL RISE IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE MALNOURISHED AND AT RISK OF STARVATION.

JUST IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS, THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF JULY, WE HAVE SEEN AS MUCH AS THE WHOLE NUMBER OF JUNE.

THIS IS THE RISE WE HAVE BEEN FEARING FOR SO LONG.

LISA: I KNOW YOU HAVE ORIGINALLY BEEN TO A MARKET.

WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN AMONG YOUR OWN STAFF IN TERMS OF HOW THEY ARE HANDLING THIS?

RACHAEL: I HAVE OVER 200 STAFF WORKING IN GAZA.

THEY ARE ALL DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THE WAR.

THERE IS LITTLE, IF ANYTHING LEFT IN THE MARKET.

THREE OF MY STAFF LAST WEEK FAINTED IN THE OFFICE AND SHARED WITH ME THAT THEY HAD NOT EATEN THAT WHOLE DAY.

MOST OF THE STAFF SHARED WITH ME THAT THEY WORRIED ABOUT GOING HOME BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ANY FOOD FOR THEIR CHILDREN AND THEY ARE DESPERATELY WORRIED ABOUT WHERE THEIR NEXT MEAL WILL COME FROM.

ONE OF MY STAFF SAID TO ME LAST WEEK, WE ARE ALL WALKING TOWARDS DEATH, AND NOBODY IS HELPING US.

THAT IS A DESPERATE SITUATION, AND THAT COULD BE MULTIPLIED BY PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE IN GAZA.

THEY SEE THEMSELVES WASTING AWAY.

I SEE THEM WASTING AWAY ON A DAILY BASIS NOW.

LISA: YOU HAVE SAID IN THE LAST DAY THAT YOU THINK THIS IS A TIPPING POINT.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

RACHAEL: IT IS A TIPPING POINT.

FOR MANY MONTHS WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE RISK OF THE SITUATION PLAYING OUT BECAUSE WE KNOW IT NOT ENOUGH FOOD HAS BEEN ENTERING GAZA SINCE MARCH WHEN THE BLOCKADE WAS PUT IN PLACE.

NOT ENOUGH FOOD, CONSISTENT FOOD.

DISTRIBUTIONS HAVE NOT BEEN TAKING PLACE IN GAZA, AND THERE IS ONLY SO LONG THE BODY CAN SUSTAIN.

WE ARE SEEING THE WEAKEST DYING OF STARVATION THEM ABOUT WHAT WE COULD SEE IS MASS STARVATION FOR PEOPLE ACROSS GAZA.

BETWEEN JANUARY AND MARCH WE HAD BETWEEN 400 AND 600 TRUCKS A DAY OF HUMANITARIAN SUPPLIES ENTERING GAZA.

AT THE MOMENT IT IS LESS THAN 100.

FOR MANY MONTHS IT WAS NOTHING.

THIS IS THE RESULT OF THE BLOCKADE, HUMANITARIAN SUPPLIES AND ESSENTIAL FOOD ITEMS NOT ENTERING GAZA.

PEOPLE HAVE BEEN, SINCE THE END OF MAY, FORCED INTO IMPOSSIBLE CHOICES ABOUT WHETHER TO STAY HUNGRY AND RISK THEIR CHILDREN STARVING, OR RISK THEIR LIVES TO GET A BAG OF FLOUR OR PASTA.

THIS IS THE SITUATION WE ARE FACING THAT IS ABSOLUTELY CATASTROPHIC.

LISA: DO YOU SENSE THERE IS A DISCONNECT BETWEEN THOSE IN POWER?

THESE ARE ATROCIOUS CONDITIONS AND YET WE CONTINUE TO GET DEEPER INTO THESE CONDITIONS.

RACHAEL: I SAID MANY TIMES IT CANNOT GET WORSE FOR CHILDREN, BUT IT GETS WORSE EVERY SINGLE DAY.

THERE HAS TO BE A DISCONNECT.

WE NEED TO STOP BOMBING CHILDREN.

WE NEED TO ALLOW CHILDREN TO EAT FOOD TO SUSTAIN LIFE, SO THERE I S A DISCONNECT BETWEEN PEOPLE MAKING DECISIONS, PEOPLE IN POWER, AND WHAT IS HAPPENING FOR CHILDREN IN GAZA.

LISA: WHAT DO YOU THINK NEEDS TO HAPPEN NOW?

RACHAEL: THE WORLD NEEDS TO WAKE UP.

IT FEELS LIKE WE HAVE BEEN SLEEPING, OR JUST WATCHING THIS.

ND YET IT'S BEEN PREDICTED FOR MONTHS OVER THE COURSE OF THE WAR WHAT COULD HAPPEN, AND WE ARE REACHING T TS TIPPING POINT, SO WE NEED A DEFINITIVE CEASE-FIRE.

WE NEED TO ALLOW THE HUMANITARIAN SUPPLIES INTO GAZA, AND WE NEED TO BE ALLOWED TO DO OUR JOBS.

WE NEED TO REACH CHILDREN WHO ARE DESPERATELY IN NEED.

S HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS, WE KNOW HOW TO PREVENT MALNUTRITION, WE KNOW HOW TO TREAT MALNUTRITION.

WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO DO OUR JOBS NOW.

LISA: THANK Y