Gaza residents appeal for ceasefire as more children starve to death
The ministry of health said on Saturday that the total number of victims of famine and malnutrition had risen to 251, including 108 children.
On Thursday, a crew from NHK's Gaza office visited a clinic run by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees at Deir al-Balah in central Gaza.
Parents brought their debilitated children to the UNRWA clinic. Doctors and nurses measured the children's arms to check if they were suffering from malnutrition.
Special meals were given to those who were diagnosed with the condition. However, the staff said there are insufficient supplies to treat starving children due to Israel's restrictions on food deliveries.
The UN agency said the ratio of children aged under 5 with acute malnutrition across Gaza stood in the 5-percent range in March, but it had surged to 13 percent at the end of July.
A woman accompanying her daughter told NHK that the food aid problem is very bad and people like herself who are living in tents have received zero benefits. She expressed hope that there will at least be a ceasefire so that the children's situation will improve.
In an online interview with NHK, UNRWA Director of Health Seita Akihiro appealed for an immediate ceasefire to improve the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. He said without a ceasefire, supplies cannot be brought into Gaza in bulk.
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3 days ago
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Gaza residents appeal for ceasefire as more children starve to death
Health authorities in the Gaza Strip say more than 100 children in the Palestinian territory have died as a result of an acute food shortage. The ministry of health said on Saturday that the total number of victims of famine and malnutrition had risen to 251, including 108 children. On Thursday, a crew from NHK's Gaza office visited a clinic run by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees at Deir al-Balah in central Gaza. Parents brought their debilitated children to the UNRWA clinic. Doctors and nurses measured the children's arms to check if they were suffering from malnutrition. Special meals were given to those who were diagnosed with the condition. However, the staff said there are insufficient supplies to treat starving children due to Israel's restrictions on food deliveries. The UN agency said the ratio of children aged under 5 with acute malnutrition across Gaza stood in the 5-percent range in March, but it had surged to 13 percent at the end of July. A woman accompanying her daughter told NHK that the food aid problem is very bad and people like herself who are living in tents have received zero benefits. She expressed hope that there will at least be a ceasefire so that the children's situation will improve. In an online interview with NHK, UNRWA Director of Health Seita Akihiro appealed for an immediate ceasefire to improve the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. He said without a ceasefire, supplies cannot be brought into Gaza in bulk.
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