The UN’s humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, has issued a stark warning that as many as 14,000 babies in Gaza could die within the next 48 hours if critical humanitarian aid is not urgently delivered.

Speaking to the BBC's Today programme, Fletcher said that despite Israel lifting its 11-week-long blockade on Monday, only five aid trucks had entered the besieged territory — none of which, he stressed, had yet reached those in need.

“I want to save as many of these 14,000 babies as we can in the next 48 hours,” Fletcher said, highlighting the urgent need for sustained and unhindered aid delivery.

The dire warning comes amid renewed Israeli airstrikes across Gaza, which reportedly killed at least 38 Palestinians within a 30-minute span overnight, according to medical sources who spoke to the BBC.

The escalation coincides with growing international pressure. The United Kingdom, France, and Canada have jointly called on Israel to halt its intensified military operations and to immediately facilitate the flow of life-saving assistance into Gaza.

Despite mounting calls for de-escalation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stood firm, saying the conflict could end "tomorrow" if Hamas releases all remaining hostages and surrenders. 

As of now, 58 hostages are still believed to be held in Gaza, with up to 23 thought to be alive.

Humanitarian agencies and international leaders continue to sound the alarm over the worsening situation, warning that the lack of access to food, medicine, and fuel is pushing Gaza’s civilian population — particularly children — toward catastrophe.

SMS/