Four-month-old Palestinian infant killed by malnutrition in Gaza
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A four-month-old Palestinian baby has died of malnutrition in Gaza as the Israeli siege blocks aid and medicine, deepening the humanitarian catastrophe.
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Palestinians wait for donated food at a distribution center in Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza Strip, Sunday, March 16, 2025. (AP)
A four-month-old Palestinian infant, Jinan al-Sakafi, died on Saturday morning due to severe malnutrition at al-Rantisi Hospital in Gaza City, as the Israeli occupation continues its war and blockade on the Gaza Strip, an Al Mayadeen correspondent reported.
Medical officials at al-Rantisi Hospital confirmed that Jinan died as a result of prolonged malnutrition and the unavailability of baby formula and nutritional supplements, both of which have become scarce due to the siege imposed by the Israeli occupation.
Jinan's mother had spent the past three months pleading with international organizations to facilitate her daughter's transfer abroad for urgent treatment. Those pleas went unanswered, and Jinan was pronounced dead on Saturday.
Al Mayadeen had previously published a report highlighting Jinan's condition, detailing her worsening health due to the lack of adequate nutrition.
Malnutrition, stunted growth
Since birth, Jinan has suffered from recurring dehydration and persistent diarrhea. She was unable to digest any available baby formula, leading to a dangerously slow growth rate. Born at 2.6 kilograms, she reached only 2.8 kilograms after four months, an increase of just 200 grams.
Her death is one of many reminders of the catastrophic humanitarian disaster facing Gaza's children under the Israeli siege and aggression.
Doctors at Al-Rantisi Children's Hospital reported receiving numerous cases each day involving children suffering from acute dehydration and malnutrition. The hospital explained that the nutrition crisis in Gaza stems from a lack of essential nutrients required for proper growth and immune function.
These deficiencies lead to developmental delays, weakened immunity, higher vulnerability to disease, and in severe cases, death.
Severe birth defect reported in Gaza hospital
In another tragic incident, the Gaza Health Ministry reported the birth of a baby girl, Malak Ahmad al-Qanoua, without a brain at al-Awda Hospital in northern Gaza, one of several shocking cases of fetal abnormalities amid the ongoing conflict.
The ministry noted that such deformities have become increasingly common during wartime and suggested the cause could be linked to the "use of prohibited weapons that the Israeli occupation tests in Gaza against civilians and our children."
"What is happening in Gaza today brings to mind what was documented in Iraq after the invasion, where birth defects surged due to pollution and radiation caused by bombings," the ministry said. "We demand an international investigation into the causes of these repeated cases and the nature of the weapons being used."
'How much blood is enough?'
Olga Cherevko, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Gaza, described the scale of destruction during a Friday press briefing in Geneva, posing the question: "How much blood must be spilled before it's enough?"
The World Health Organization had earlier declared the humanitarian situation in Gaza as catastrophic, citing two months of siege since the renewed aggression.
"Gaza's population is starving, and its children are weak from malnutrition," WHO warned, adding that these conditions will have "long-term and devastating health consequences."
Amnesty International also called for the immediate lifting of the blockade, describing the prolonged and inhumane siege as "further evidence of Israel's genocidal intent in Gaza."
Amnesty affirmed that the blockade constitutes a war crime through the deliberate starvation of civilians. "Israel is creating unbearable living conditions for Palestinians in Gaza to destroy them physically, which amounts to genocide under international law," the group said.
For over two months, the Israeli occupation has waged continuous aggression on the Gaza Strip while blocking all humanitarian aid. On March 2, occupation forces halted the passage of aid through the Karam Abu Salem, "Erez", and "Zikim" crossings, completely cutting off food, medical supplies, and fuel.
The closure has severely worsened Gaza's already catastrophic humanitarian situation. The Government Media Office announced that the Gaza Strip has officially entered "the early stages of famine."
Over 95% of Gaza's population now faces food insecurity, while the International Committee of the Red Cross warned that the humanitarian response is on the verge of total collapse due to international aid being blocked and growing restrictions on relief organizations.
