Gaza’s Children Face Catastrophic Starvation as Aid Fails to Reach Millions
Gaza’s Children Face Catastrophic Starvation as Aid Fails to Reach Millions
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached a critical and irreversible stage, with children like 18-month-old Mohammad Al-Motawaq suffering severe, life-threatening malnutrition. Cradled by his mother, Hidaya Al-Motawaq, in a tent by the Mediterranean Sea, Mohammad represents the estimated one million children, nearly half of Gaza’s population, now facing chronic malnutrition, with doctors warning of permanent neurological and physical damage.
The situation is dire: Hidaya, a widow, can no longer breastfeed due to her own malnourishment and has been unable to find food or milk for Mohammad and his five-year-old sister. The last pediatric ward treating malnutrition in Gaza reportedly closed this month due to a severe lack of supplies. The UN’s food program indicates that one in three people are now going days without food, and approximately 100,000 women and children are severely malnourished, requiring immediate medical intervention.
Despite mounting international pressure, including a daily 10-hour pause in fighting initiated by Israel in some population centers to facilitate aid delivery, the crisis persists. Reports indicate that dozens have been killed trying to access food, and experts from the International Rescue Committee note a critical shortage of essential nutrients like iron, magnesium, and calcium, leading to developmental damage in children.
Negotiations for a potential 60-day ceasefire between Hamas and Israel stalled last week, deepening despair among Palestinians. With 21 months of shifting restrictions on aid entry since the conflict began in October 2023, the UN warns of mass starvation. Gaza health authorities reported six deaths from “famine and malnutrition” in the last 24 hours alone, adding to over 130 such deaths since the war started. Aid workers and displaced residents like Dr. Tawfiq Abu Jarad fear a full-blown famine is imminent, with devastating consequences for the region‘s most vulnerable.
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