Israel's Blockade Escalates Gaza Malnutrition Crisis, WHO Warns
In a statement released Sunday, the organization revealed that out of 74 malnutrition-related deaths recorded in Gaza so far in 2025, 63 occurred in July alone. Among the victims were 24 children under the age of five and 38 adults.
'Most of these individuals were pronounced dead on arrival at health facilities or died shortly thereafter, showing clear signs of severe wasting,' the WHO said.
The agency underscored that the situation remains salvageable if immediate and sustained humanitarian access is granted. 'Deliberate blocking and delay of large-scale food, health, and humanitarian aid has cost many lives,' the WHO posted on X. 'The crisis remains entirely preventable.'
A senior official with the World Food Program also stressed the urgency of obtaining rapid Israeli approval to move aid trucks into Gaza, particularly in light of the newly declared humanitarian truce.
According to WHO data, the rate of acute malnutrition among children in Gaza City has tripled since June, making it the hardest-hit area in the Strip. Nearly one in five children under five in the city is now acutely malnourished, based on reports from humanitarian partners working with the UN Nutrition Cluster.
The WHO called for an immediate influx of diverse and nutritious food, therapeutic supplies for children, life-saving medicines, and essential health materials, emphasizing that this support must be 'consistent and unhindered.'
'The current figures may underrepresent the true scale of the crisis,' the organization warned, citing severe access restrictions and insecurity that prevent many families from reaching health services.
Over the first two weeks of July alone, more than 5,000 children under five were treated for malnutrition in Gaza, with 18% suffering from severe acute malnutrition. That follows a record 6,500 malnourished children treated in June, the highest monthly figure since the war began in October 2023.
In July, 73 children were hospitalized with severe acute malnutrition and medical complications, nearly double the 39 recorded in June. This mounting caseload is placing growing pressure on the Strip's already overstretched health infrastructure, which currently has only four malnutrition treatment centers.
On the other hand, Ross Smith, director of emergencies at the World Food Programme, said the program needed Israel's swift approval for its trucks to move into Gaza.
'We don't need words; we need action on the ground,' he added. 'We need to get permits and approvals really quickly. If the truces are going to last 10 hours, we won't be able to take advantage of these pauses.'
Israel's policy of starvation against over two million Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip has drawn increasing international condemnation in recent days. The policy has caused widespread famine among the besieged population, with dozens of Palestinians dying within days.
Shortlink for this post: https://daysofpalestine.ps/?p=66134
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Days of Palestine
5 hours ago
- Days of Palestine
Ongoing Famine in Gaza Takes More Lives, Including Children
DaysofPal – The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza reported on Friday that the number of Palestinians who have died from starvation and malnutrition under Israel's ongoing blockade has risen to 162, including 92children. In the past 24 hours alone, hospitals in the Gaza Strip recorded three new deaths from hunger-related causes, two of them children. The grim update underscores the worsening humanitarian catastrophe in the enclave, where the health system has all but collapsed and basic necessities remain out of reach for most of the population. 'This brings the total number of famine victims to 162, including 92 children,' the ministry said in a statement, reiterating that the deaths are a direct result of the prolonged Israeli siege and the severe shortages of food, water, and medical supplies. The ministry renewed its urgent appeal to the international community and humanitarian organizations to intervene and deliver life-saving aid to the population of Gaza. 'The tight blockade and lack of medical and food supplies continue to endanger lives every hour,' the statement warned. On July 27, the World Food Programme issued a stark warning, stating that a third of Palestinians in Gaza had gone days without food. 'The hunger crisis in Gaza has reached unprecedented levels of despair,' said Ross Smith, WFP's Director of Emergency Preparedness and Response. 'A third of the population is going without food for days at a time.' The WFP also reported that approximately a quarter of the population, including over 100,000 children and women, is now experiencing famine-like conditions and acute malnutrition. According to Palestinian officials, the mass hunger is not incidental but the result of deliberate Israeli policy. Since October 7, 2023, Israel has enforced a near-total blockade on Gaza, further tightening restrictions on March 2 by closing all remaining crossings to aid. That decision accelerated the spread of famine across the Strip, with aid agencies now describing the situation as 'catastrophic.' While Israel has allowed a limited number of humanitarian trucks into Gaza in recent days, far short of the 600-truck daily minimum needed to meet basic needs, local authorities say much of the aid has been intercepted or looted under Israeli military protection. The Government Media Office in Gaza said that Israel is 'not only limiting aid but actively facilitating and protecting the theft of the few trucks allowed in,' turning even the promise of relief into further tragedy. Shortlink for this post:
Days of Palestine
5 hours ago
- Days of Palestine
Gaza's Children Face Catastrophic Malnutrition as Israeli Genocide Escalates
DaysofPal- Some 900,000 Palestinian children are suffering from various degrees of malnutrition, according to the Palestinian NGO Network. The crisis stems from the continued Israeli blockade and the deliberate restriction of humanitarian aid into the besieged enclave, which suffers severe famine. In a press statement Saturday, Amjad Shawa, head of the NGO Network in Gaza, warned that conditions are deteriorating rapidly, as the Israeli occupation not only blocks aid but also targets the humanitarian infrastructure that delivers life-saving supplies. 'The aid that reaches Gaza is minimal, and the Israeli occupation is intentionally limiting it,' said Shawa. 'Tens of thousands are at risk just trying to access food distribution centers. The situation demands urgent international intervention and the creation of safe corridors for aid delivery.' He added. The Gaza Government Media Office echoed these concerns in a separate statement, estimating that the Strip needs at least 600 trucks of food, medicine, and fuel daily to cover basic needs. The office warned that without immediate relief, the collapse of essential services, including health, sanitation, and food distribution, would become irreversible. The statement also strongly condemned what it called a policy of systematic starvation, holding the Israeli government and its international allies responsible for the deepening humanitarian catastrophe. It called for the immediate reopening of border crossings and the unimpeded entry of food, fuel, and infant formula. Gaza is now enduring one of the most severe humanitarian disasters in its modern history, as a devastating Israeli military genocide launched on October 7, 2023, has been compounded by a crippling blockade and a near-total collapse of international relief efforts. The closure of all Gaza crossings since March 2, 2025, marked a turning point in the crisis, where this move violated the January 18 ceasefire agreement, which had guaranteed the daily entry of 600 aid trucks and 50 fuel trucks. Instead, the Gaza Strip has been plunged into a state of mass displacement, famine, and despair. According to health authorities, the war and blockade have led to the deaths or injuries of more than 208,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children. Over 9,000 remain missing, while hundreds of thousands are displaced, many now battling hunger and disease in overcrowded shelters. As Gaza edges closer to full-scale famine, humanitarian organizations are calling on the international community to act swiftly and decisively to prevent further loss of life. Without immediate intervention, experts warn that Gaza's most vulnerable, its children, will continue to bear the brunt of this unfolding tragedy. Shortlink for this post:
Days of Palestine
a day ago
- Days of Palestine
Israel's War of Starvation Ravages Gaza's Children
DaysofPal – Starvation is tightening its grip on the Gaza Strip, where children are dying by the hour under an Israeli blockade that has turned hunger into a weapon of war. Medical sources and humanitarian organizations are warning that the famine in Gaza is no longer looming; it is here, unfolding in real time, as the international community fails to intervene meaningfully. The Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Yunis confirmed the death of two-year-old Abdul Aal, from severe malnutrition. At the time of his death, he weighed just 8 kilograms, far below the average weight for a child his age. Doctors described his condition as emblematic of the catastrophe sweeping the besieged territory. In the past 24 hours alone, Gaza's Ministry of Health reported two additional deaths due to starvation, raising the official toll to 159 victims, including 90 children. Health officials say this figure is rising daily as food supplies run out and humanitarian aid remains blocked. Another young man, 27-year-old Adel Madi from Rafah, also succumbed to hunger, the Nasser Medical Complex reported. In central Gaza's Nuseirat refugee camp, medical staff at Al-Awda Hospital confirmed the death of Karam Al-Jamal due to prolonged starvation. The deaths are not isolated. Gaza's Ministry of Health director, Dr. Munir al-Barsh, stated that 1,300 people have been killed while attempting to reach aid distribution points, places he described as 'death traps' where the starving are met with Israeli gunfire. 'These are not accidents,' he said. 'These are deliberate killings of people whose only crime is hunger.' The crisis is now so severe that the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has issued urgent warnings, saying that 'with every hour that passes, more children are dying in Gaza.' UNICEF confirmed that tons of life-saving food and medical supplies remain stuck at Israeli border crossings, unable to reach the people who need them most. David Miliband, president of the International Rescue Committee, echoed the alarm, stating bluntly, 'People in Gaza are dying of hunger.' He revealed that despite having nutrition kits and emergency medical supplies ready, none were permitted entry into Gaza throughout April and May. 'It's not a shortage of aid,' Miliband said. 'It's a blockade.' While aid convoys wait at the border and food rots in trucks, Gaza's population is being decimated by preventable starvation. Famine has taken hold not as a consequence of natural disaster, but as the direct result of Israeli genocidal policy, one that human rights groups say is using hunger as a tool of collective punishment. Despite growing international outrage, including calls from humanitarian agencies to lift the siege and allow unrestricted aid access, Israel continues to impose suffocating restrictions on food, fuel, and medicine. The Israeli offensive and bombardment compound the crisis, leaving families with no safe shelter, no clean water, and no access to healthcare. Shortlink for this post:
