50+ children suffering from malnutrition, starvation in North Gaza
4 Min Read
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza intensifies as reports reveal malnutrition among Palestinian children due to the continuing Israeli bombing and total blockade.
-
A Palestinian child living in a tent in Rafah after being forcibly displaced with his family amid the Israeli genocide (UNRWA)
Approximately 50 children are experiencing malnutrition and starvation in the northern area of the region due to the Israeli total blockade on Gaza, as per a Sunday statement by Husam Abu Safiya, the director of Gaza's Kamal Adwan Hospital.
"Around 50 children suffering from malnutrition have been counted in just one week, and the specter of famine looms over Gaza,” the statement read.
"The health system in Gaza is a target of the [Israeli] occupation, but we are trying to resume medical services at a minimum despite fuel shortages," it added.
The director of Gaza's Kamal Adwan Hospital also cautioned that the situation across the territory is dire, with Israeli forces blocking the delivery of humanitarian aid by closing Gaza's major crossings, notably Rafah and Karem Abu Salem.
His warning came shortly after the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) issued a warning, stating that insufficient aid is reaching Palestinians in Gaza, leading to a dire situation where children are facing starvation.
“I would say they are certainly not getting the amount that they desperately need to prevent a famine, to prevent all kinds of horrors that we see. It’s very, very little that is going around at the moment,” OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke said on June 4.
At the time, he emphasized that according to international humanitarian law, Israeli authorities are required to assist in the delivery of aid to the blockaded Gaza Strip.
When addressing inquiries regarding barriers to accessing aid, the OCHA spokesperson stated that such a duty “does not stop at the border. It does not stop when you drop off just a few meters across the border and then drive away and then leave it to humanitarians to drive through active combat zones – which they cannot do – to pick it up. So, to answer your question, no, the aid that is getting in, is not getting to the people.”
Laerke also emphasized that land crossings for aid convoys into Gaza are crucial, being "the only way to get [aid] in at scale and at speed." He highlighted the necessity for more of these land crossings to be open and safe to ensure aid can be delivered efficiently.
Starvation takes a huge toll
These statements coincide with a tragic incident where a 13-year-old Palestinian child Abdul Qader al-Sarahi tragically died due to starvation. The tragedy occurred following the closure of the Rafah border crossing by "Israel", obstructing humanitarian aid access.
Five-year-old Hanaa Al-Rai from Gaza is suffering from dehydration, malnutrition, liver and spleen enlargement, and diabetes. She cannot receive treatment due to the destruction of Gaza's hospitals by Israel and the occupation of the Rafah crossing. pic.twitter.com/2N3SvgtLXw
— Ramy Abdu| رامي عبده (@RamAbdu) June 4, 2024
Not an isolated incident: Seven-month-old Palestinian infant Fayez Abu Ataya tragically passed away in central Gaza due to the absence of milk and medicine resulting from the devastating Israeli blockade. Fayez, appearing as a mere skeleton, was captured on video as he succumbed to starvation in his father's embrace at the Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah.
Palestinian media reports indicated that over 37 children have succumbed to starvation amid the ongoing Israeli aggression, with fatalities occurring in various hospitals throughout Gaza. Notably, Kamal Adwan Hospital has recorded approximately 30 child deaths due to this cause.
In short, months of severe hunger have resulted in the deaths of numerous Palestinians in Gaza and have inflicted lasting harm on children due to malnutrition, all transpiring prior to the official declaration of famine.
Read more: UN Guterres puts 'Israel' on list of global offenders against children
