Malnutrition in Gaza spreading at terrifying speed, warns WHO
On Sunday, Israel said it would halt attacks from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time in parts of central and northern Gaza, including al-Mawasi, Deir el-Balah, and Gaza City, while opening aid corridors for food and medical supplies. However, reports indicate airstrikes continued in areas designated as "safe zones."
Famine and Malnutrition at Crisis Levels
Gaza's Health Ministry reported six more starvation-related deaths in the past 24 hours, including two children, bringing the total to 133 since October 2023. Among the victims was five-month-old Zainab Abu Haleeb, who died from severe malnutrition at Nasser Hospital.
"Three months inside the hospital, and this is what I get in return—that she is dead," her mother, Israa Abu Haleeb, told reporters.
WHO data shows over 20 percent of pregnant and breastfeeding women in Gaza are acutely malnourished, while the World Food Programme (WFP) warns that one in three Gazans has gone days without food. Nearly 500,000 people face "famine-like conditions."
"The health system is on its knees, and malnutrition is spreading at terrifying speed," said a WHO spokesperson. "Without sustained humanitarian access, more children will die from hunger and preventable diseases."
"This crisis is entirely preventable," WHO said, blaming the deliberate obstruction of aid for the mounting toll.
Aid Efforts Inadequate Amid Persistent Dangers
Despite Israel's announcement of new aid routes and airdrops by the UAE and Jordan, humanitarian access remains critically insufficient. In one incident, an aid pallet struck a displacement camp near al-Rasheed Road, injuring 11 people.
WHO and UN agencies stress that deliveries must be accelerated and safely coordinated to prevent further deaths. However, Israeli restrictions and ongoing hostilities continue to obstruct relief efforts.
Displaced families describe harrowing conditions. "I've risked my life searching for food—my children haven't eaten in a week," said Smoud Wahdan, a mother in Gaza. Another woman, Tahani, told reporters her cancer-stricken child is wasting away: "I wish the world would wake up and see us."
UN and WHO Demand Urgent Action
Medical Aid for Palestinians and other aid groups report unprecedented suffering. "People are skin and bones; money means nothing when markets are empty," said Liz Allcock, a humanitarian worker. WHO warns that 25% of Gaza's population is at risk of acute malnutrition, with hospitals overwhelmed by starvation-related cases.
The United Nations reiterates that a ceasefire and full humanitarian access are the only ways to prevent mass starvation. "Every delay costs lives," said a UN official.
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