Malnutrition Rates Rise in Gaza Amid Blockade Crisis
Malnutrition is surging in Gaza as emergency supplies dwindle, raising fears that hunger will leave lasting scars on an entire generation. The ongoing blockade has severely restricted essential goods since early March, coinciding with a renewed military campaign against Hamas.
According to health officials, half a million residents now face the threat of starvation. A World Health Organization (WHO) representative in the region has witnessed firsthand the devastating effects of malnutrition on children. In a hospital in northern Gaza, over 20% of children examined suffered from severe acute malnutrition.
“What we see is an increasing trend in generalized acute malnutrition,” Rik Peeperkorn said during a video briefing from Deir al-Balah. He described meeting a five-year-old child who looked barely two and a half due to malnourishment.
Impact on Children and Health System
The lack of nutritious food, clean water, and medical care is putting a whole generation at risk of stunted growth and impaired brain development. Peeperkorn warned that these conditions could have permanent consequences.
Health officials report that 55 children have already died from acute malnutrition, while many others suffer from illnesses like gastroenteritis and pneumonia. These infections become deadly because hunger weakens children’s immune systems.
“You normally don’t die from starvation. You die from the diseases associated to that,” he explained.
Challenges in Aid Delivery
Meanwhile, the UN Palestinian refugee agency head accused Israeli authorities of using food and aid denial as a weapon of war. Israel counters by blaming Hamas for diverting humanitarian assistance meant for civilians. Hamas denies these claims.
Israel has proposed a US-supported plan to distribute aid directly through what it calls neutral delivery points, bypassing Hamas. However, the WHO labeled this approach as “grossly inadequate” to meet Gaza’s urgent needs.
Because of the blockade, WHO’s stockpile can currently treat only 500 children with acute malnutrition—far less than what is required. The crisis worsens daily as supplies run out and hunger spreads.
Urgent Need for Action
Without immediate intervention, the consequences of the malnutrition crisis will ripple through Gaza’s population for years. The combination of starvation, disease, and restricted aid threatens to devastate the health and future of countless children.
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