UN, BBC walk back dramatic Gaza infant death toll claim
The United Nations and the BBC on Wednesday corrected a dramatic claim that 14,000 infants in the Gaza Strip faced death within 48 hours, clarifying that the figure actually refers to children at risk of severe malnutrition over the course of a full year.
U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher claimed BBC Radio 4's 'Today' program, saying: 'There are 14,000 babies that will die in the next 48 hours unless we can reach them.'
The comment was quickly picked up by national media outlets, cited in U.K. parliamentary debates, and referenced in international diplomatic discussions.
5 U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher claimed BBC Radio 4's 'Today' program, saying: 'There are 14,000 babies that will die in the next 48 hours unless we can reach them.'
AP
After asking the U.N.'s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs for clarification, the BBC reported that the remarks were based on a report that warned that 14,100 severe cases of acute malnutrition were expected to occur between April 2025 and March 2026 among children aged between six months and five years.
The report by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification said neither that all 14,000 children were infants nor that they were expected to die. Additionally, the timeframe stated was five years, not 48 hours.
BBC News published a correction later that day.
When asked for clarification, Fletcher's agency—the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA)—told the Jewish Chronicle: 'We are pointing to the imperative of getting supplies into save an estimated 14,000 babies suffering from severe acute malnutrition in Gaza. We need to get the supplies in as soon as possible, ideally within the next 48 hours.'
5 When asked for clarification, Fletcher's agency—the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) said: 'We are pointing to the imperative of getting supplies into save an estimated 14,000 babies suffering from severe acute malnutrition in Gaza. We need to get the supplies in as soon as possible, ideally within the next 48 hours.'
AP
5 Nujud Suleiman, a one-year-old Palestinian infant suffering from malnutrition, is measured as she receives treatment at the Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip on April 24, 2025.
AFP via Getty Images
By the time the correction surfaced, the false claim had already been cited by at least nine Members of Parliament in the House of Commons and amplified across the U.K. and international media.
The controversy unfolded as the United Kingdom escalated pressure on Israel. U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced Monday that the United Kingdom was suspending trade negotiations with Israel over what he called 'morally unjustifiable' military actions in Gaza.
'The Netanyahu government's actions have made this necessary,' Lammy said, describing Israel's conduct as 'monstrous.'
5 The Palestinian infant received medical care at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, accompanied by his mother, on May 5, 2025.
ZUMAPRESS.com
5 Saleh Zenati carries the body of his infant nephew who was killed in an Israeli army airstrike, during his funeral in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, on May 18, 2025.
AP
U.K. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer also weighed in, saying the 'horrific situation in Gaza' was 'utterly intolerable' and warning, 'We cannot allow the people of Gaza to starve.'
Israeli officials have denied accusations of orchestrating food shortages, maintaining that Hamas is responsible for withholding supplies from civilians.
On Tuesday, Israel allowed 93 trucks carrying humanitarian aid, including baby food, medical equipment, and pharmaceuticals.
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