Latest news with #NataliaAnguera
Associated Press
23-05-2025
- Health
- Associated Press
Gaza on the Brink: Action Against Hunger Races To Prevent Child Malnutrition
Published by Action Against Hunger. May 22, 2025 While the influx of flour has allowed some bakeries to reopen in southern Gaza—an important step towards curbing malnutrition among children and pregnant and lactating women—stocks of nutritional food for children under five are close to running out. Action Against Hunger's stock of ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTF) will run out in less than a week in the south and in about 10 days in the north. The sanitary situation is also critical: the entry of chlorine to make water drinkable remains unauthorized. In addition, the lack of gas and electricity cuts prevent cooking; a 1kg gas cylinder costs $200, an unaffordable price. Nevertheless, Action Against Hunger teams continue to operate on the ground. 'Our colleagues in Gaza are going through the same daily difficulties as the rest of the population, but they still insist on continuing their activities every day.' Saving the lives of people in Gaza has become a race against time. 'Currently, only six days have been authorized for the entry of trucks with humanitarian aid, without allowing NGOs to load essential supplies,' says Action Against Hunger's head of Middle East operations, Natalia Anguera, who continues: 'Flour has come in and some bakeries in the south have resumed operations, which is a vital step forward in combating malnutrition among children and pregnant or breastfeeding women, but specific nutritional supplies reserves for children under five are about to run out in the same area.' Even if bakeries now have flour, the lack of fuel, energy, and safe water supplies prevents these facilities from being fully operational. Our teams on the ground report that there are less than seven days' supply of therapeutic food, essential to prevent acute malnutrition in children aged 6 months to 5 years, in southern Gaza and 10 days in the north. There is still a lack of gas and continuous power cuts. Families can barely cook, except by burning leftovers in the streets, and a 1kg canister of gas costs $200, a price that is completely unaffordable for any family. The entry of chlorine for water purification remains unauthorized. Our water trucking is critically dependent on the availability of petrol, which is also in short supply. How We Are Working to Save Children's Lives in Gaza The latest UN analysis, in which Action Against Hunger is involved, is stark: 71,000 cases of acute malnutrition are expected among children under five, of whom 14,100 could die if they do not receive urgent assistance. In the face of this unprecedented humanitarian emergency, our teams on the ground are pouring all available resources into protecting children and their mothers. The urgency is paramount. As one of our breastfeeding counsellors in Gaza tells us: 'Every visit confirms my worst fears: there is no end to this crisis. The situation is becoming increasingly catastrophic, and the acute shortage of aid and assistance is becoming more and more alarming'. At Action Against Hunger, we are developing essential programmes to prevent and treat malnutrition. We distribute nutritional supplements to children aged 6–59 months, as well as pregnant and lactating women, to strengthen their health before malnutrition sets in. We provide specific care for those who already suffer malnutrition, tailoring treatments to individual needs. For babies aged 6–23 months, we provide safe and appropriate complementary foods, essential for their development in an environment where there are few viable alternatives. Early detection is key: we assess children and women by measuring their arm circumference, a simple but vital technique for early action. We also implement our specific programme for pregnant or breastfeeding women who are already suffering from malnutrition, offering a nutritional reinforcement adapted to their needs. In addition, we care for and treat children who are acutely malnourished, both severely and moderately.
Associated Press
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Gaza: Action Against Hunger Warns That Suspending Entry of Humanitarian Aid Into Gaza Endangers Millions of Lives
Originally posted by JERUSALEM, Israel, March 5, 2025 /3BL/ - The decision to suspend the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, announced on Sunday, endangers the lives of millions of Palestinians in Gaza and threatens to reverse the progress that has been made since the ceasefire was declared on January 19, Action Against Hunger warned. After the ceasefire began, an average of nearly 300 trucks per day entered through several crossings. While still far short of what was agreed in the ceasefire and what is required to meet basic needs, the entry of goods, food and fuel enabled operations of health, water and sanitation infrastructure, as well as the movement of humanitarian personnel in parts of Gaza where access had previously been limited. Now, Action Against Hunger is calling for the resumption of humanitarian aid into Gaza and for a lasting ceasefire to allow the continued flow of aid, the reconstruction of Gaza, and the return of remaining hostages. 'Fifteen months of displacement and conflict have left most people dependent on humanitarian aid. The agreement in Gaza had, until Sunday, facilitated more goods coming in,' explained Natalia Anguera, Head of Middle East Operations at Action Against Hunger, a nonpartisan international nonprofit. 'For example, more food was being allowed in Gaza, and this allowed us, before Sunday, to increase aid to places we couldn't access before. Action Against Hunger was planning to bring much needed food aid into Gaza next week to support a community kitchen based in Gaza City, which was going to assist over 4,000 people during the month of Ramadan, but the current restriction prevents us from doing so.' Consequences of the suspension of humanitarian aid inflows The suspension of aid threatens to reverse recent gains, putting the lives of millions of people at risk and making the work of humanitarian organisations even more difficult. 'It's going to be very, very hard,' explained an Action Against Hunger worker in Gaza whose name was withheld for safety reasons. 'Although Action Against Hunger had already considered this possible scenario, it is going to be difficult to readjust our plans and our supply work based on these new restrictions, which also mean more people will be in need.' The suspension of humanitarian aid inflows are causing a significant increase in the price of goods on the local market. 'We have to take into account that most people don't have jobs, so they don't have a regular income. Purchasing power is still very limited. Action Against Hunger runs cash assistance programs, which provide immediate relief and help stimulate and rebuild the local economy. Those programs are much more efficient when prices are lower, and prices had come down a bit before Sunday,' the Action Against Hunger worker explained. Humanitarian needs remain enormous. Sanitation in the north is one example. 'The entire population that was previously overcrowded in the south is now back to being overcrowded, only in the north, which has nearly no buildings left standing. The population has to move back into camps and there is no space and no infrastructure to contain exposure to disease. A few days ago, it rained heavily, causing the infrastructure to fail and absorb the water, causing stagnant water and sewage to flourish. Exposure to disease and pollution remains one of the most important problems to respond to,' the Action Against Hunger staff member said. 'Action Against Hunger continues to distribute water, tents, and hygiene kits. All of this continues to be an absolute priority. If water, food and shelter were needed during the conflict, they are still needed today,' Natalia Anguera said. Action Against Hunger in Gaza Action Against Hunger has been assisting the population in Gaza for more than 20 years. Responding to the escalating crisis, our teams have mobilized to provide hot meals and fresh and dry food, distribute hygiene kits, connect people with shelters, and truck clean water into communities. Since the start of the conflict, under restricted access and frequent blackouts, Action Against Hunger has assisted more than one million people in Gaza and the West Bank.
