The humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to worsen, with the World Health Organization confirming that at least 400 people have died from malnutrition since the beginning of the year. Among them are 101 children, including 80 under the age of five.
Health workers at Al-Awda Hospital report an alarming rise in severe malnutrition cases, now affecting children as young as two months and as old as twelve years. Dr. Rana Abu Zaatir, who heads the hospital’s nutrition department, warned that limited access to food and medical supplies is pushing Gaza toward a deeper crisis.
Only four malnutrition treatment centers remain operational in the entire region. With northern Gaza cut off from aid deliveries for weeks, hospitals are struggling to provide therapeutic food and basic care for starving patients.
“There are many children and adults dying from malnutrition and its complications,” said Dr. Zaatir. “If border crossings remain closed and food prices keep rising, we will face a real disaster. People simply don’t have enough to eat.”
The World Food Program has noted slight improvements in humanitarian access but insists that entry to northern Gaza must be restored immediately. The agency also emphasized that a lasting ceasefire is essential to deliver life-saving food to those most in need.
Experts estimate that around half a million people in Gaza City are already living in famine conditions, underscoring the urgent need for global intervention.