Persistent diarrhea, jaundice, frequent vomiting, constant dizziness, and strong desire for sleep mark the severe condition faced by Saaed in Gaza, exposing the harsh truth of daily life there.
In the embattled region of Gaza, a humanitarian disaster is unfolding. Over the past few days, 113 people, including more than 20 children, have lost their lives due to malnutrition, according to recent reports. This grim statistic is a stark reminder of the critical situation faced by the people of Gaza.
The situation remains dire, with families going hungry and essential supplies being blocked. Desperate families are waiting at the few remaining food distribution points in Gaza for a bowl of soup to avoid going another day without food. More than 20% of pregnant and lactating women in Gaza suffer from malnutrition, often severe, and one in five children in Gaza City is malnourished.
The current food crisis and malnutrition in Gaza are at severe and unprecedented levels, particularly affecting children. Doctors and aid workers report the highest rates of malnutrition ever seen in Gaza, with dozens of people, including over 80 children, having died from hunger in recent months.
The core causes of this crisis are the Israeli blockade of Gaza and the ongoing conflict. The Israeli blockade severely restricts the entry of food, fuel, medicine, and other essential goods. For about 80 consecutive days between March and May 2025, no aid was allowed in, bringing the population close to famine. Though limited aid has resumed, it remains far below what is needed to prevent widespread starvation and malnutrition.
The ongoing conflict and war since October 2023 have led to infrastructure destruction, displacement, and the interruption of normal food supply chains. Aid delivery challenges and restrictions, including Israeli oversight and limitations on which organizations can operate, have compounded these difficulties.
Due to Israel's media restrictions and misinformation, external reporting has been limited, making it harder to fully assess conditions. However, all credible sources highlight a worsening humanitarian disaster with famine-like conditions spreading quickly. Agencies like UNRWA, WHO, UNICEF, and WFP warn that starvation itself is a major cause of death alongside the violence.
One of the most heart-wrenching stories is that of Dalia, a woman in Gaza, who sits beside her son who suffers from cerebral palsy. They often go without eating for days. Acute malnutrition centres in Gaza are overcrowded, according to the WHO. Another poignant example is Auday, a child left in the care of his aunt after his parents were killed in a bombing, who is at risk of dying from hunger in Gaza.
The UN and humanitarian partners have not been able to deliver food to Gaza for nearly 80 days due to an Israeli blockade on aid entry. Israel claims it is committed to allowing aid to enter Gaza, but tons of essential supplies are still being blocked. Israel blames Hamas for the suffering of the population in Gaza.
In summary, Gaza faces a critical food and malnutrition crisis caused mainly by the Israeli blockade and conflict-related disruptions that severely limit humanitarian aid and food availability, pushing a significant portion of the population to famine conditions and resulting in preventable deaths, especially among children. Urgent action is needed to alleviate this crisis and ensure the people of Gaza receive the aid they desperately need.
[1] UNRWA [2] WHO [3] UNICEF [4] WFP
- The dire situation in Gaza, as evidenced by the high rates of malnutrition and deaths from hunger, is largely due to the severe restrictions imposed by the Israeli blockade on the entry of food, fuel, medicine, and other essential goods, which are vital for health-and-wellness and general-news coverage.
- Despite the re-opening of limited aid, the critical food crisis and malnutrition in Gaza continue to escalate at unprecedented levels, especially affecting science issues such as children's nutrition and health-and-wellness.
- The ongoing war-and-conflicts in Gaza and the Palestinian territories have exacerbated the food crisis, contributing to widespread malnutrition and deaths from hunger, while political tensions with Israel further complicate efforts to deliver aid and address the humanitarian disaster.
