Latest news with #malnourishment
New York Times
3 days ago
- Health
- New York Times
No Meals, Fainting Nurses, Dwindling Baby Formula: Starvation Haunts Gaza Hospitals
In several of the hospitals still functioning in Gaza, nurses are fainting from hunger and dehydration. Managers often cannot provide meals for patients or medical staff. Doctors are running low on formula for newborn babies, in some cases giving them water alone. And at least three major hospitals lack the nutritional fluids needed to properly treat malnourished children and adults. Those scenes were described in interviews starting Friday with seven doctors — four from Gaza, and three volunteers from Australia, Britain and the United States. All of them worked this past week in four of the territory's main hospitals. After months of warnings, international agencies, experts and doctors say starvation is now sweeping across Gaza amid restrictions on aid imposed by Israel for months. At least 56 Palestinians died this month of starvation in the territory, nearly half of the total such deaths since the war began 22 months ago, according to data released on Saturday by the Gaza Health Ministry. As starvation rises, medical institutions and staff, already struggling to treat war wounds and illness, are now grappling with rising cases of malnourishment. Weak and dizzy, medics are passing out in the wards, where colleagues revive them with saline and glucose drips. Persistently short of basic tools such as antibiotics and painkillers, doctors are also running out of the special intravenous drips used to feed depleted patients. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Al Mayadeen
15-07-2025
- Health
- Al Mayadeen
Gaza mothers starving, infant deaths reach critical levels: UN
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has issued a grave warning over the dire conditions faced by tens of thousands of pregnant and breastfeeding women in Gaza, as extreme hunger continues to jeopardize their health and the survival of their newborns. In a statement shared by UNFPA's Arab States Regional Office on X, the agency revealed that approximately 50,000 women in Gaza 'haven't eaten for days.' Malnourishment is preventing mothers from breastfeeding, while baby formula remains unavailable due to ongoing shortages. This has resulted in a spike in premature and underweight births. 'Babies are born too soon, too small,' the post read. 'Newborns are at risk of death or lifelong health issues.' 50,000 pregnant & breastfeeding women in #Gaza haven't eaten for are born too soon, too are too malnourished to breastfeed — & formula is are at risk of death or lifelong health is preventable. #OpenUpGaza Let aid in. the crisis as preventable, UNFPA called for immediate humanitarian access, urging: '#OpenUpGaza Let aid in.' UN agencies continue to report severe restrictions on humanitarian access, compounding the suffering of women, children, and other vulnerable groups. Aid organizations have consistently appealed for unimpeded delivery of essential life-saving assistance. Since the genocide began in October 2023, nearly 57,600 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza by Israeli occupation forces, the majority of whom are women and children. Constant bombardment has devastated infrastructure, triggered famine-like conditions, and contributed to the spread of disease. In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Security Minister Yoav Gallant over charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Separately, "Israel" is also facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice. Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières, MSF) released new data this week pointing to a drastic increase in child mortality across Gaza. According to a retrospective mortality survey conducted by its epidemiological unit, Epicentre, the death rate for children under five has increased tenfold since the war began. The survey covered 2,523 individuals, including MSF staff and their families. It found that the overall death rate was five times higher than pre-war levels, while mortality among newborns under one month rose sixfold. 'The children of Gaza are being decimated,' said Amande Bazerolle, deputy manager of MSF's emergency department. 'Forty-eight percent of the people who died from blast injuries among our colleagues' households were children, and 40 percent were under 10 years old.' According to the report, over 2% of those surveyed have died since October 7, 2023, and 7% have sustained injuries. Around 75% of deaths were war-related, mainly due to explosions. The survey also underscored the collapse of Gaza's healthcare system. Two-thirds of chronically ill patients reported interruptions in treatment. Even among MSF families, who had relatively better access to care, 20% experienced at least one injury from blasts or gunfire within their household. 'This is the result of the Israeli campaign to systematically destroy the health system and the means of survival of the whole population,' MSF stated. The organization called on "Israel" to halt what it described as a 'genocidal campaign,' lift the blockade, and enable urgent medical evacuations, particularly for children. Read more: 'Skin and bones': Gaza's infants starve under Israeli siege
The National
30-05-2025
- General
- The National
Malnourished girl from Gaza is treated in Abu Dhabi
Rahaf Ayyad, 12, is receiving treatment at Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Khalifa Medical City after suffering with malnourishment and severe health problems in Gaza for months. She is accompanied by her mother, Shroog Ayyad, 35. All photos: Ahmed Ramzan for The National
