3,500 Gaza children at risk of death amid Israeli starvation tactics
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Highlighting the severity of the situation, the Government Media Office calls for immediate global intervention to address the plight of children in Gaza.
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A Palestinian child living in a tent in Rafah after being forcibly displaced with his family amid the ongoing Israeli genocide (UNRWA)
Over 3,500 children in the Gaza Strip are facing an imminent risk of death due to Israeli use of starvation as a method of warfare, the Government Media Office in Gaza revealed in a press statement.
The statement, which calls for immediate global intervention to address the plight of these children, highlights the severity of the situation, noting that children under the age of five are particularly vulnerable.
According to the statement, these children are suffering from severe malnutrition, which has not only impacted their physical health but has also made them susceptible to infectious diseases. Additionally, the ongoing deprivation of basic services, such as healthcare, food, and vaccinations, exacerbates their already dire circumstances.
While the world has plenty of extra food
— The Palestinian (@InsiderWorld_1) March 13, 2024
Kids in Gaza cant find what can make them live! pic.twitter.com/xkuBqxwbll
"Children in the Gaza Strip urgently require comprehensive and immediate intervention to address the systematic crises inflicted upon them by the Israeli occupation," the statement read, affirming that "foremost among these measures is the provision of food, healthcare, nutritional supplements, vaccinations, and specialized child-friendly foods."
Highlighting the necessity of children's "advanced psychological care to cope with the trauma they have experienced," the statement detailed that during the genocide, thousands of children were killed, tens of thousands of others were injured, and more than 17,000 were left orphaned or without both parents."
It also condemned what it termed as "ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity" committed by "Israel", with a particular emphasis on the targeting of children.
I spent my day here, with the beautiful kids of Gaza pic.twitter.com/0JATFinKWZ
— Muhammad Smiry 🇵🇸 (@MuhammadSmiry) January 31, 2024
The statement urged the international community, including the International Criminal Court and other international bodies, to pursue Israeli and American war criminals responsible for what is described as the intentional and systematic targeting of children.
It also called on free countries and international organizations to pressure "Israel" and the United States to cease the genocide and open border crossings to allow the entry of essential supplies for children.
"We urge the international community to fulfill its responsibility and rescue the children in the Gaza Strip, where an estimated 335,000 children endure extremely challenging circumstances due to genocide, forced displacement, and other forms of Israeli aggression," the statement concluded.
Desperate search for milk in Gaza: A mother's struggle amid genocide
Amira al-Taweel, a mother in Gaza, recounted her harrowing struggle to find milk for her malnourished child, Youssef, AFP reported on Sunday.
"Youssef needs treatment and milk, but there's none available in Gaza," Amira said. "I feed him, but no milk as it's not available. I feed him wheat (flour) which makes him bloated."
Amira is currently treating her son at the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in central Gaza, where many other children are receiving treatment due to malnourishment.
Another baby boy named Saif was also found by AFP with bones protruding from his skin.
"We depend on the aid that comes here and is given to the children," said Noha al-Khaldi, the mother of Saif.
"All night long he suffers ... He was supposed to have an operation, but it was postponed."
The genocide has so far claimed the lives of thousands of people, and the numbers are further mounting due to the Israeli blockade on humanitarian aid.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has lately reported that more than four in five children in Gaza have gone a whole day without eating at least once in the past 72 hours.
"Children are starving," WHO spokesperson Margaret Harris said in a statement.
Read next: Famine in Gaza causing women to give birth to stillborn babies
