One child killed every 40 minutes: Gaza ministry sounds global alarm

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
5 May 2025 13:47
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Amid soaring child deaths and a collapsing health system, Gaza authorities launch a global plea to end the famine and save children’s lives.

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Mona al-Raqab lifts the shirt of her 5-year-old son, Osama al-Raqab, revealing signs of malnutrition and worsening cystic fibrosis, Nasser Hospital, Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP)

The Palestinian Ministry of Health officially launched earlier today the Global Solidarity Campaign for the Children of Gaza.

In a press conference held at the Nasser Medical Complex, in front of the Tahrir Building, health officials, alongside humanitarian advocates and media representatives, outlined the catastrophic conditions faced by Gaza’s children and called for immediate international intervention.

The event spotlighted the urgent need for food, medical supplies, and protective measures for the most vulnerable in the population amid the ongoing Israeli genocide.

Speakers emphasized that the campaign is not just a symbolic gesture but a call to action for governments, NGOs, journalists, and civil society worldwide to unite in halting the ongoing genocide, ending the blockade-induced famine, and preserving the rights and lives of Gaza’s children.

The ministry reiterated its appeal to the global community, saying, "Saving Gaza’s children is not just an option, it is an urgent, moral, and humanitarian imperative."

Collapsing health system, worsening famine under blockade

The Ministry of Health in Gaza has issued a grave warning over the escalating humanitarian disaster, stating that the Israeli occupation continues its systematic policy of starving more than two million people. For over two months, border crossings have remained sealed to food and medical supplies, while water access has been deliberately cut off, deepening the crisis.

According to the Health Ministry, Gaza is experiencing catastrophic health and humanitarian indicators, leaving no room for timely intervention by international organizations to save lives.

The ministry confirmed that 16,278 children have been killed, translating to the death of one child every 40 minutes. Moreover, 311 infants were born and killed during the war, underscoring the severe vulnerability of newborns amid ongoing atrocities.

The widespread destruction of primary healthcare centers has deprived both children and pregnant women of critical medical care. In addition, 51% of essential maternal and child medications are now unavailable, including therapeutic supplements, vitamins, and vaccinations, further straining the already decimated health infrastructure.

Health officials also reported that the entry of polio vaccines continues to be obstructed, threatening the collapse of the Ministry’s disease prevention campaigns. The blockade has intensified acute malnutrition among Gaza’s children. The number of child deaths due to starvation and related complications has risen to 57, according to official data.

Further compounding the crisis, the ministry reported that several children were killed in direct attacks on charitable food kitchens while attempting to receive food portions.

This unprecedented situation, the ministry stressed, demands urgent and coordinated global action to halt the genocide, lift the blockade, and protect Gaza’s children from further suffering.