Maria Virginia Sy

Gaza famine deepens as children face severe malnutrition

Article (news)

Children in Gaza are suffering from severe malnutrition due to lack of essential food and medical supplies, with over half a million people in Gaza facing famine conditions marked by starvation and preventable deaths. According to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) released on Friday, famine in Gaza City is now spreading southward to Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis. By the end of September, over 640,000 people are projected to face catastrophic food insecurity, with an additional 1.14 million at emergency levels and nearly 400,000 in crisis conditions. The assessment, conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO), confirmed that thresholds for extreme food deprivation, acute malnutrition and hunger-related deaths have been breached, marking the first officially declared famine in the Middle East since the IPC was established. At the “Friends of the Patient” Hospital in Gaza City, Um Jana anxiously watches over her daughter, whose life is at risk due to severe malnutrition. “Because of the siege and famine, my daughter’s health has deteriorated. She has lost vital nutrients since there’s no healthy food like vegetables, fruits or meat. Her condition is extremely difficult,” she said. Living in makeshift tents, displaced families struggle to find even a small amount of food for their children after months of hunger that has left lasting scars. “We adults suffer from malnutrition, and so do the children. My son developed malnutrition because of a lack of calcium and minerals in his body, which caused infections,” said Donia Sabah, a displaced Palestinian. UN agencies warned that intensified military operations and ongoing restrictions on humanitarian access could further exacerbate the crisis, leaving children, the elderly and people with disabilities at extreme risk. They stressed that an immediate ceasefire and a large-scale humanitarian response are essential to saving lives. The Palestinian NGO Network warns Israel’s continued blockade and military operations in the enclave amount to a death sentence for thousands of displaced civilians relying on scarce aid. “This will be an unprecedented but ,meaningful meeting. We are all calling on all the international actors to save the lives of these children, who are malnourished, suffocated, and suffering, and to stop this military operation in Gaza,” said Amjad Al-Shawa, head of the Palestinian NGO Network. Gaza’s Health Ministry said 273 people, including 112 children, have died from starvation and malnutrition since the war began. Israel tightened its blockade on Gaza after the collapse of a ceasefire with Hamas on March 2, sharply curbing food, fuel, and humanitarian aid deliveries.

Gaza famine deepens as children face severe malnutrition

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Gaza famine deepens as children face severe malnutrition

CGTN/Asiavision

Published Aug 25, 2025 02:20 PM PHT

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Israel-Hamas conflict

Gaza

famin

malnutrition

children

UNited Nations

World Food Programme

Integrated Food Security Phase Classification

UNICEF

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