Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Death toll from latest Israeli strikes on Gaza rises to 30
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Five killed in the Israeli bombing of a civilian vehicle on Al-Qassam Street in Khan Younis, south of the Gaza Strip
Hamas confirms that it has no connection to the shooting incident in Rafah and affirms its commitment to the ceasefire agreement
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Two civilians were killed and four others, including a child and an infant, were injured in an Israeli bombing of a house belonging to the Al-Banna family in the al-Sabra neighborhood, south of Gaza City
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: An Israeli airstrike targets the vicinity of Al-Shifa Medical Complex, west of Gaza City
Al-Qassam: We will postpone the handover of the body of the Israeli captive we found, which was scheduled for today, due to the occupation's violations
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: Israeli occupation aircraft launch airstrikes on the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip
Netanyahu's office: At the end of the security consultations, the prime minister instructed the military to launch massive military strikes on the Gaza Strip immediately
President Aoun: We urge the activation of the monitoring committee, the cessation of hostilities, ongoing Israeli violations, attacks
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to US Envoy Morgan Ortagus: Southerners must be enabled to return to their homes and rebuild

Polio, malnutrition tighten death grip on Gaza children

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: News websites
  • 9 Aug 2024 10:01
  • 4 Shares
3 Min Read

96% of Gaza's population suffers from crisis levels of hunger as the WHO director confirms polio is plaguing Gaza.

Listen
  • x
  • Displaced child Toleen Marshoud, who suffers from skin disease, sits at a makeshift tent camp in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Monday, July 29, 2024. (AP)
    Displaced child Toleen Marshoud, who suffers from skin disease, sits at a makeshift tent camp in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Monday, July 29, 2024. (AP)

The number of cases of malnutrition among children in northern Gaza rose by almost 300% in July as compared to May, a report released on Friday by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) revealed.

It stated that 96% of Gaza's population suffers from crisis levels of hunger, citing data from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) and the Global Nutrition Cluster.

Detected malnutrition cases among children in northern Gaza increased by more than 300% in July compared with May, says @GNCGENEVA.

96% of Gaza’s population faces crisis levels of hunger, according to @theIPCinfo. Gaza needs more aid and a #CeasefireNow pic.twitter.com/Pc382sW7Wr

— UNRWA (@UNRWA) August 8, 2024

On Thursday, the World Health Organization Director Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tweeted about the levels of polio plaguing Gaza and said that the WHO, UNRWA, and UNICEF are preparing "two rounds of polio vaccination campaigns targeting 600,000 children under the age of 8."

"WHO is sending more than 1 million polio vaccines to Gaza, which will be administered in the coming weeks," he affirmed.

The detection of #polio in wastewater in #Gaza is a tell-tale sign that the virus has been circulating in the community, putting unvaccinated children at risk.

In coordination with the Ministry of Health, @WHO, @UNICEF, @UNRWA and partners are preparing two rounds of polio…

— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) August 7, 2024

The director, however, asserted the need for "absolute freedom of movement for health workers and medical equipment to carry out these complex operations safely and effectively."

"A ceasefire, or at least 'days of tranquility' during preparation and delivery of the vaccination campaigns, are required to protect children in Gaza from polio," he added.

Related News

Rubio says UNRWA to play no role in Gaza aid deliveries

ICJ rules 'Israel' failed to prove UNRWA staff are Hamas members

The fear stems from the Israeli occupation killing healthcare professionals and aid workers in indiscriminate bombing, as repeatedly revealed by Gaza authorities.

The latest incident saw the killing of the World Central Kitchen's (WCK) Nadi Sallout, one of its Palestinian members, who was killed near Deir al-Balah in Gaza.

In a statement, the WCK said that Sallout was a "humanitarian at his very core" and an "integral member of [the] warehouse team" from the early days of the organization's response in Rafah. 

Another incident affecting the same organization saw the killing of seven central kitchen workers in Gaza last April, one Palestinian and six foreigners, leading the organization to pause its operations despite the catastrophic humanitarian situation caused by the Israeli genocidal war on the Strip and its blocking of basic survival aid, only to resume them by the beginning of May.

Two weeks ago, Ghebreyesus said an immediate ceasefire in Gaza is necessary to avoid deaths from unpreventable diseases, given the collapsed state of the Gazan healthcare system. 

A week prior, the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza issued an urgent warning after tests conducted on sewage samples, in coordination with UNICEF, confirmed the presence of the poliovirus.

Read more: Unofficial death toll may be over 90,000: US medics in Gaza

This alarming discovery highlights a severe health crisis as the virus is found in sewage water that flows through the densely populated areas and displacement camps, where infrastructure has been severely damaged due to the relentless Israeli bombardment since October 7.

Amid daily Israeli massacres, #Gaza has now declared the Strip a #polio epidemic zone, linking the outbreak to the ongoing siege and genocide.#GazaGenocide#Palestine pic.twitter.com/rZlZHC4MOJ

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) August 3, 2024

So far, almost 40,000 Palestinians have been killed while another 90,000 injured. In the absence of proper medical treatment, decaying bodies scattered across the Strip, food insecurity causing exponential levels and cases of malnutrition, and the spread of highly transmittable diseases, such as respiratory infections, Hepatitis A, and others, such as diarrhoeal diseases, Palestinians, particularly vulnerable children, risk suffering a greater health toll. 

  • UNRWA
  • Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
  • Malnutrition
  • WHO
  • Gaza
  • Polio

Most Read

'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

  • Technology
  • 24 Oct 2025
Arab League chief exposes secret US deal shielding 'Israel’s' nukes

Arab League chief exposes secret US deal shielding 'Israel’s' nukes

  • Politics
  • 27 Oct 2025
Abu Hamza, the spokesperson for the Al-Quds Brigades, during a speech televised on October 22, 2025 (Al-Quds Brigades Military Media)

Al-Quds Brigades' Abu Hamza mourns leaders, vows continued resistance

  • Politics
  • 22 Oct 2025
US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

  • Africa
  • 23 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Members of the al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, and Egyptian workers search for the bodies of hostages in a tunnel discovered during searches in Hamad City, Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025 (AP)
Politics

'Israel' obstructing Gaza body recovery, creating false claims: Hamas

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawwaf Salam talks to US Deputy Special Envoy to the Middle East Morgan Ortagus at the Grand Serail in Beirut, Lebanon, October 28, 2025 (NNA)
Politics

Salam conveys to Ortagus goals behind any possible negotiations

Writers boycott NYT, demand justice as Gaza media ban faces court
Politics

300+ writers boycott NYT Opinion, cite persistent anti-Palestine bias

Settlers attack West Bank olive harvesters, Injure 3 Palestinians
Politics

Settlers attack West Bank olive harvesters, injure 3 Palestinians

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS