Gaza says 290,000 'on brink of starvation' as Houthi rebels attack Israeli airport

Palestinian officials on Sunday claimed that around 3,500 children below the age of five in Gaza "face imminent death by starvation" and that more than a quarter of a million others are "on the brink of death."

The claims came on the day that a Houthi hypersonic ballistic missile targeted Israel's main international airport, forcing a brief shut down and grounding flights on Sunday. 

The missile landed in the airport's vicinity with Israel's military confirming there were several attempts at intercepting the missile which failed. Defense Minister Israel Katz warned the country's response would be "sevenfold". 

'Systematic blockade'

Palestinian officials have insisted that Israel continues to block entry of baby formula, nutritional supplements and all forms of humanitarian aid. 

A statement by Gaza's Government Media Office on Sunday read: "Under this systematic blockade, more than 3,500 children under the age of five face imminent death by starvation, while approximately 290,000 children are on the brink of death."

It continued: "At a time when 1.1 million children daily lack the minimum nutritional requirements for survival, this crime is being perpetrated by the Israeli occupation using starvation as a weapon, amid shameful international silence."

Oxfam's food security lead, Mahmoud Alsaqqa told Al Jazeera the whole world is contributing to or participating in starving the children in Gaza" by not taking any action against the blockade that started more than two months ago.

There have been many reports in recent days of looting of supply warehouses in northern Gaza.

Malta accused

Meanwhile Malta has been accused today of preventing aid to the strip, after a ship bound for Gaza was bombed by two drones.

Malta denies the claims, saying the crew refused help. 

An international non-government organisation NGO, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which operated the ship, said Israel was to blame for the incident, but Israel is yet to comment. 

The ship, Conscience, sustained damage to its front section including a loss of power when hit near Maltese territorial waters, the NGO said. 

It had been waiting to take on board 30 peace activists from around the world before trying to sail to Gaza to deliver food and medicines, when the NGO says the Maltese military forced them back, threatening them with arrest.  

Malta's Prime Minister Roberta Abela says his country was continuing to offer assistance to the ship, but that Malta's security needed to be safeguarded. He said the ship's captain was continuing to refuse to allow a surveyor and Malta police on board.

Hamas issued a statement about the incident off Malta, accusing Israel of "piracy" and "state terrorism".