Latest child to starve to death in Gaza weighed less than when she was born
Khan Younis(Gaza Strip) Jul 26 (AP) A mother pressed a final kiss to what remained of her five-month-old daughter and wept. Esraa Abu Halib's baby now weighed less than when she was born.
On a sunny street in shattered Gaza, the bundle containing Zainab Abu Halib represented the latest death from starvation after 21 months of war and Israeli restrictions on aid.
The baby was brought to the pediatric department of Nasser Hospital on Friday. She was already dead. A worker at the morgue carefully removed her Mickey Mouse-printed shirt, pulling it over her sunken, open eyes. He pulled up the hems of her pants to show her knobby knees. His thumb was wider than her ankle. He could count the bones of her chest.
The girl had weighed over 3 kilograms when she was born, her mother said. When she died, she weighed less than 2 kilograms.
A doctor said it was a case of 'severe, severe starvation." She was wrapped in a white sheet for burial and placed on the sandy ground for prayers. The bundle was barely wider than the imam's stance. He raised his open hands and invoked Allah once more.
She needed special formula Zainab was one of 85 children to die of malnutrition-related causes in Gaza in the past three weeks, according to the latest toll released by the territory's Health Ministry on Saturday. Another 42 adults died of malnutrition-related causes in the same period, it said.
'She needed a special baby formula which did not exist in Gaza," Zainab's father, Ahmed Abu Halib, told The Associated Press as he prepared for her funeral prayers in the hospital's courtyard in the southern city of Khan Younis.
Dr Ahmed al-Farah, head of the pediatric department, said the girl had needed a special type of formula that helps with babies allergic to cow's milk.
He said she hadn't suffered from any diseases, but the lack of the formula led to chronic diarrhea and vomiting. She wasn't able to swallow as her weakened immune system led to a bacterial infection and sepsis, and quickly lost more weight. (AP) RD RD
PTI) view comments
First Published:
July 26, 2025, 22:00 IST
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
9 minutes ago
- First Post
UP woman's foetus growing in liver: What is this rare pregnancy?
A 30-year-old woman in Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr was found to have an extremely rare intrahepatic ectopic pregnancy. In this condition, the foetus grows in the liver and not in the was revealed during an MRI scan; this could be India's first documented one read more The UP woman had intrahepatic ectopic pregnancy, a condition so rare that experts believe this could be the first such case ever documented in India. Image for Representation. Pixabay Doctors in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, were left stunned after an MRI scan of a 30-year-old woman revealed something highly unusual, she was 12 weeks pregnant, but the foetus wasn't in her uterus. It was growing in her liver. The woman had unknowingly developed intrahepatic ectopic pregnancy, a condition so rare that many doctors go their entire careers without encountering it. Experts believe this could be the first such case ever documented in India. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Here's what we know so far about this baffling medical case, how it was discovered, and what it means for the patient moving forward. What is intrahepatic ectopic pregnancy? An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilised egg implants itself outside the uterus, most commonly in the fallopian tubes. But in this case, the foetus made its way to the liver, a scenario that medical experts say is extremely rare. When a pregnancy develops inside the liver, it's termed an intrahepatic ectopic pregnancy, a condition so uncommon that only eight such cases have ever been reported worldwide so far, in countries including China, Nigeria, the United States, and parts of Europe. Dr KK Gupta, a radiologist at a private imaging centre in Meerut, who uncovered it while carrying out the MRI abdomen test of the woman, told News18, 'When I saw the scan, I could not believe my eyes. The foetus was embedded in the right lobe of the liver, and there were clear cardiac pulsations. I have never seen such a case in my career, and according to available data, this might be India's first intrahepatic ectopic pregnancy." How did the case come to light? The breakthrough came after the woman endured weeks of persistent abdominal pain and vomiting. With no clear answers from initial tests, doctors decided to go a step further and advised an MRI scan of the abdomen, a test typically used when ultrasound results are inconclusive. The scan was carried out at a private imaging centre in Meerut, under the supervision of Dr KK Gupta, a senior radiologist known for his decades of experience in advanced imaging. Unlike a regular ultrasound, the MRI offered detailed, high-resolution images of the abdominal organs, layer by layer. What it uncovered left even seasoned professionals stunned. 'We observed a well-formed gestational sac inside the right lobe of the liver,' Dr Gupta told News18. 'The foetus measured approximately 12 weeks in gestational age. Most strikingly, the scan confirmed active cardiac pulsations, establishing that the foetus was alive. At the same time, the uterus was completely empty, ruling out a normal intrauterine pregnancy,' he explained. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD When a pregnancy develops inside the liver, it's termed an intrahepatic ectopic pregnancy. Image courtesy: News18 Dr Gupta further detailed that the foetus appeared embedded deep into the parenchymal tissue of the liver, with blood vessels from the organ supplying nutrition to the sac. This confirmed that the pregnancy had implanted directly into the hepatic tissue. How dangerous is it? Extremely. The liver is one of the most vascular organs in the human body, meaning it has a dense network of blood vessels and a large blood supply. While this may allow a foetus to survive temporarily by drawing nourishment from the organ, it also makes the condition incredibly risky for the mother. A pregnancy growing inside the liver can lead to life-threatening complications, such as massive internal bleeding or liver rupture, especially as the foetus continues to grow. If not diagnosed and managed in time, the consequences could be fatal. Dr Jyotsna Mehta, a renowned gynaecologist and obstetrician based in Lucknow, told News18 that in some similarly rare cases around the world, doctors have tried to remove the foetus surgically while leaving the placenta intact and later shrinking it with medication to control blood loss. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Each decision has to be highly individualised, and such surgeries demand extraordinary coordination between radiologists, gynaecologists, and liver surgeons," Dr Mehta explained. What's next for the UP woman? The woman is currently under close medical supervision as doctors work to determine the safest way forward. Given the high risk involved, a multidisciplinary team has been assembled, comprising obstetricians, hepatobiliary surgeons, radiologists, and anaesthesiologists, to plan a highly complex and delicate surgery. While the final outcome will depend on how well the surgery proceeds, one thing is already certain: This case has made medical history. With input from agencies
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Starvation you cannot ignore
On the preventable crisis of malnutrition reaching dangerous levels in Gaza, the risks contaminated medicines pose to global health, a kidney racket in T.N., successes in ophthalmology, and more Nations, like individuals, don't stay forever young. Even as India is poised to reap the demographic dividend of a young and skilled population, the spectre of a greying nation is a looming threat. As the total fertility rate falls below the replacement level, and people live longer, the social and economic costs of an ageing nation become an unbearable burden. Healthcare facilities are stretched, household savings are under strain. A shrinking workforce could slow overall economic growth and push down productivity. In this context, The Hindu's e-book 'Shades of Grey: Geriatric Care and its Social and Economic Facets' looks at all aspects of an ageing India with articles from medical and media professionals. The digital book is available free for subscribers of The Hindu's online edition, including the e-paper, and can be purchased by non subscribers on Amazon. —- At the health desk, here, we tend not to go in for alarmist or sensational news, but we are always cognisant of the need to turn our attention to cataclysmic and significant events that have a larg and long-lasting impact on the health of humans. In that list, the starvation of Gaza finds the top slot. The World Health Organization says malnutrition is reaching 'alarming levels' in Gaza. 'Malnutrition is on a dangerous trajectory in the Gaza Strip, marked by a spike in deaths in July,' the WHO said in a statement. Of the 74 recorded malnutrition-related deaths in 2025, 63 had occurred in July -- including 24 children under five, one child aged over five, and 38 adults, it added. 'Most of these people were declared dead on arrival at health facilities or died shortly after, their bodies showing clear signs of severe wasting,' the UN health agency said. 'The crisis remains entirely preventable. Deliberate blocking and delay of large-scale food, health, and humanitarian aid has cost many lives' the agency said. Finally moved by international pressure on it, Israel on Sunday began a limited 'tactical pause' in military operations to allow the UN and aid agencies to tackle a deepening hunger crisis. But the WHO called for sustained efforts to 'flood' the Gaza Strip with diverse, nutritious food, and for the expedited delivery of therapeutic supplies for children and vulnerable groups, plus essential medicines and supplies. International NGO MSF said a quarter of children in its Gaza clinics were malnourished. MSF said that 'Israeli authorities' deliberate use of starvation as a weapon in Gaza has reached unprecedented levels, with patients and healthcare workers themselves now fighting to survive'. It said that its staff in the besieged and war-torn Palestinian territory were receiving growing numbers of malnourished patients. 'Across screenings of children aged six months to five years old and pregnant and breastfeeding women at MSF facilities last week, 25 percent were malnourished,' it said. At the MSF clinic in Gaza City, it said that the number of people needing care for malnutrition had quadrupled since mid-May, while 'rates of severe malnutrition in children under five have tripled in the last two weeks alone'. In other news, the WHO sounded the alarm on the risk of a global chikungunya epidemic. As we have noted the re-emergence of several vector-borne diseases after decades, including polio and measles, the latest in the line is the warning on chikungunya. The WHO warned on Tuesday, July 22, 2025 that a major chikungunya virus epidemic risks sweeping around the globe, calling for urgent action to prevent it. The WHO said it was picking up exactly the same early warning signs as in a major outbreak two decades ago and wanted to prevent a repeat. Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne viral disease that causes fever and severe joint pain, which is often debilitating. In some cases it can be deadly. 'Chikungunya… has been detected and transmitted in 119 countries globally, putting 5.6 billion people at risk,' said the WHO's Diana Rojas Alvarez. She recalled how from 2004 to 2005, a major chikungunya epidemic swept across the Indian Ocean, hitting small island territories before spreading globally and affecting almost half a million people. Yet another report from the WHO delivers a shock and Bindu Shajan Perappadan recorded it: Contaminated medicines killed 1,300 people in 90 years. Over the past 90 years, at least 25 documented incidents of excipient contamination have resulted in more than 1,300 deaths worldwide, many of them children, the WHO and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said, in a recent report, which provides critical findings on the persistent and preventable threat of contaminated medicines worldwide. Excipients are inactive substances used as the vehicle or medium by which to deliver a drug or other active substance to patients. In other international news of significance to India, much chatter dominated both official and unofficial channels on the UK-India FTA deal. At a recent meeting to discuss the issue, experts opined that the U.K.-India Free Trade Agreement had provisions on patents that tilt the balance in favour of patent owners and undermines access to medicines, read more here: UK-India FTA tilts the balance in favour of patent owners and undermines access to medicines. In an opinion piece, Chandrakant Lahariya and Arun Gupta explain further: The India-U.K. FTA spells a poor deal for public health. To give you a preview: It will allow tariff-free entry — and thus lower prices — for U.K.-made food products such as biscuits, chocolates and soft drinks in India, many of which would fit into the categorisation of High Fat, Sugar and Salt (HFSS), posing grave long-term health risks. Cheaper prices supplemented by the expected aggressive marketing and advertising campaigns could prove harmful from the point of view of the health of citizens. That kidney rackets are a myth from the past was a myth busted last week in Tamil Nadu, as a well-entrenched network tapping kidneys from indebted farm labourers was exposed: Kidney transplant licence of two T.N. private hospitals suspended. Serena Josephine M. and M. Sabari bring you all the details: In Tamil Nadu, kidney for sale. From Hyderabad there was news of an Illegal surrogacy and baby-selling racket busted, with fertility clinic head among 10 arrested. Mittayi turns a bitter pill for children with Type 1 diabetes, parents in Kerala reports A.S. Jayanth. The decision to use a slow-acting insulin is being criticised by various people in the State. While we spotlight egregious violations, we think it is equally important to celebrate successes. Here's a repurposing of an old technique that might actually obviate the need for a good number of corneal transplants. Pinhole pupilloplasty emerges as alternative to corneal transplants when certain conditions are met, explains Dr. Amar Agarwal. Reducing the size of the pupil will help focus the vision and filter out peripheral vision, making the image clearer than ever before for the patient. Here's an explainer video on the subject: 'Why not skip the transplant?' While we are on the subject of ophthalmology, here's a tribute to a doyen in the field, Namperumalsamy, Aravind Eye Hospital chairman who passed away last week. He was renowned for his unique model of health care financing reaching all segments of society. Switching to our favourite part of the newsletter, bugs: we kick it off with Lisa Cuchara's piece in The Conversation. How germy is the public pool? is the question this infectious disease expert weighs in on. It is poop, pee and perspiration – and the deceptive smell of chlorine. Scientists from CCMB have argued that Bacterial cell walls could hold clues to better human health. The new study shows that while building the cell wall, bacteria can mistakenly add structurally similar amino acids such as L-serine or glycine instead of L-alanine, weakening the cell wall and making bacteria more vulnerable to antibiotics. Dr. Vivek Shanmugam explains Why India's hepatitis crisis needs urgent attention, on the occasion of World Hepatitis Day. Dr. Usha Humbi takes on the paradigm of memory loss and beyond: The lesser-known dementias that deserve attention while Anirban Mukhopadhyay finds a link between lack of vitamin D and neurodevelopmental issues, based on a study. After the horrific Air India accident Jagriti Chandra turns attention on The dark side of flying: fear of grounding deters pilots from seeking help for mental health concerns. Dr. Komal Prasad C. also writes of brain health and tumours: when a headache, memory lapse, or seizure deserves a second look. Shifting gear to non-communicable diseases, a recent Study recommended two half-dose combination of drugs in a single pill for good blood pressure control in Indians. Do hit the link above for more details on what is probably the first randomised control trial studying the impact of hypertensive drugs on south Asians and Indians. Athira Elssa Johnson argues that cancer care needs to include an oral health component. An ICMR study found that only 28.5% of cancer patients receive radiotherapy in India. Everyone is agog at the new weight-loss drugs that have flooded the market. To bring up the latest update, a Chinese paper on a study noted that Weight gain begins 8 weeks after stopping anti-obesity drugs. Zubeda Hamid asks questions of an expert: Does the wellness industry in India need more regulation as part of the In Focus podcast, while D. Balasubramanian takes us back to The virtues of the tomato, a healthy vegetable. Pre-marriage HIV/AIDS test could be made mandatory in Meghalaya - watch our website and the newspaper for more content on this, particularly on the social and ethical implications of such a move. In our tailpiece segment this week, we give to you our bi-monthly health podcast from last week. If you missed the last The Health Wrap by The Hindu, here's your opportunity to catch it. We present a lot of information on the sugar and oil boards, advances that will take health care and ease of living really further than it already is, including for women. — In our Explainers segment, we offer the following stories: Dr. Prabash Prabhakaran writes on what dizziness could also mean, on understanding vertigo In the All you need to know about series, R. Sujatha examines: sarcoidosis Vasudevan Mukunth helps us understand Deep-brain stimulation: nudging neurons Meghna M. speaks to Experts who raise concerns of strain on neck and eye in U-seating arrangement in schools Why drowning matters in India's public health and design discourse If you have a few moments extra, do Also Read: Dr. Abdul Ghafur and Y.K. Gupta on The need for doctor-led innovation Afshan Yasmeen SHUT clinic's parent group on technology addiction gets about 5,000 registrations Science Quiz: On arthritis Berty Ashley Easy like Sunday morning | All about proteins GSK's blood cancer drug gets EU approval For many more health stories, head to our health page and subscribe to the health newsletter here.
News18
2 hours ago
- News18
Food crisis experts say worst-case scenario of famine happening in Gaza
Tel Aviv, Jul 29 (AP) The 'worst-case scenario of famine is currently playing out in the Gaza Strip," the leading international authority on food crises said in a new alert Tuesday, predicting 'widespread death" without immediate action. The alert, still short of a formal famine declaration, follows an outcry over images of emaciated children in Gaza and reports of dozens of hunger-related deaths after nearly 22 months of war. The international pressure led Israel over the weekend to announce measures, including daily humanitarian pauses in fighting in parts of Gaza and airdrops. The United Nations and Palestinians on the ground say little has changed, and desperate crowds continue to overwhelm and unload delivery trucks before they can reach their destinations. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, or IPC, said Gaza has teetered on the brink of famine for two years, but recent developments have 'dramatically worsened" the situation, including 'increasingly stringent blockades" by Israel. A formal famine declaration, which is rare, requires the kind of data that the lack of access to Gaza and mobility within has largely denied. The IPC has only declared famine a few times — in Somalia in 2011, South Sudan in 2017 and 2020, and parts of Sudan's western Darfur region last year. But independent experts say they don't need a formal declaration to know what they're seeing in Gaza. 'Just as a family physician can often diagnose a patient she's familiar with based on visible symptoms without having to send samples to the lab and wait for results, so too we can interpret Gaza's symptoms. This is famine," Alex de Waal, author of 'Mass Starvation: The History and Future of Famine" and executive director of the World Peace Foundation told The Associated Press. What it takes to declare famine An area is classified in famine when all three of the following conditions are confirmed: At least 20% of households have an extreme lack of food, or are essentially starving. At least 30% of children six months to 5 years old suffer from acute malnutrition or wasting, meaning they're too thin for their height. And at least two people or four children under 5 per 10,000 are dying daily due to starvation or the interaction of malnutrition and disease. The report is based on available information through July 25 and says the crisis has reached 'an alarming and deadly turning point." It says data indicates that famine thresholds have been reached for food consumption in most of Gaza — at its lowest level since the war began — and for acute malnutrition in Gaza City. The report says nearly 17 out of every 100 children under the age of 5 in Gaza City are acutely malnourished. Mounting evidence shows 'widespread starvation." Essential health and other services have collapsed. One in three people in Gaza is going without food for days at a time, according to the World Food Program. Hospitals report a rapid increase in hunger-related deaths in children under 5. Gaza's population of over 2 million has been squeezed into increasingly tiny areas of the devastated territory. The IPC's latest analysis in May warned that Gaza will likely fall into famine if Israel didn't lift its blockade and stop its military campaign. Its new alert calls for immediate and large-scale action and warns: 'Failure to act now will result in widespread death in much of the strip." What aid restrictions look like Israel has restricted aid to varying degrees throughout the war. In March, it cut off the entry of all goods, including fuel, food and medicine, to pressure Hamas to free hostages. Israel eased those restrictions in May but also pushed ahead with a new US-backed aid delivery system that has been wracked by chaos and violence. The traditional, UN-led aid providers say deliveries have been hampered by Israeli military restrictions and incidents of looting, while criminals and hungry crowds swarm entering convoys. While Israel says there's no limit on how many aid trucks can enter Gaza, U.N. agencies and aid groups say even the latest humanitarian measures are not enough to counter the worsening starvation. In a statement Monday, Doctors Without Borders called the new airdrops ineffective and dangerous, saying they deliver less aid than trucks. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said no one is starving in Gaza and that Israel has supplied enough aid throughout the war, 'otherwise, there would be no Gazans." Israel's military on Monday criticized what it calls 'false claims of deliberate starvation in Gaza." Israel's closest ally now appears to disagree. 'Those children look very hungry," President Donald Trump said Monday of the images from Gaza in recent days. (AP) NSA NSA (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments First Published: July 29, 2025, 14:00 IST News agency-feeds Food crisis experts say worst-case scenario of famine happening in Gaza Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
