Hunger Kills: 9 Out of 10 Children in Gaza Severely Malnourished

Nine out of 10 children in Gaza suffer from sever malnutrition according to UNICEF. The malnutrition manifested itself after the 7 October, 2023 war when Israel promised it would impose a “complete siege” on Gaza denying the 2.2 million population electricity, food, water and fuel.

“Five rounds of data collected between December 2023 and April 2024 have consistently found that nine out of 10 children in the Gaza Strip are experiencing sever food poverty, surviving on two or fewer fewer group per day,” a UNICEF report quoted by Palestinian news agency Wafa.

UNICEF added months of agression – this is the start of the nine month of war that Israel waged on Gaza – has resulted in the complete destitution and displacement of people who are being forced to move from one area to another in the enclave as their houses are being bombed.

To meet the minimum level of dietary diversity for healthy development, “children must consume foods from at least 5 of the 8 food groups determined by the dietary diversity score used by UNICEF and WHO,” as pointed out in Al Jazeera.  

The hunger and malnutrition is being exacerbated by the intence bombing the Gaza Strip has been subjected to in this war that saw Israel drop 70,000 tons of explosives on the enclave.

Tel Aviv’s “indiscriminate attacks” on Palestinian children and women are “clearly Israeli war crimes,” said the head of a Norwegian non-governmental organization, as quoted by the Anadolu Turkish news agency.

“It is obscene to continue waging war through refugee camps. Even if Hamas committed the war crime of hiding fighters among displaced civilians, these continued, indiscriminate attacks killing scores of children and women are clearly Israeli war crimes, he said on the X platform.

His comments came after at least 39 displaced Palestinians were killed, Thursday, in Israeli airstrike on a school sheltering thousands of displaced people in the Nuseirat refugee camp, the central Gaza Strip, according to Gaza authorities.

UNICEF: ≈

Nine out of 10 children in Gaza suffer from sever malnutrition according to UNICEF. The malnutrition manifested itself after the 7 October, 2023 war when Israel promised it would impose a “complete siege” on Gaza denying the 2.2 million population electricity, food, water and fuel.

“Five rounds of data collected between December 2023 and April 2024 have consistently found that nine out of 10 children in the Gaza Strip are experiencing sever food poverty, surviving on two or fewer fewer group per day,” a UNICEF report quoted by Palestinian news agency Wafa.

UNICEF added months of agression – this is the start of the nine month of war that Israel waged on Gaza – has resulted in the complete destitution and displacement of people who are being forced to move from one area to another in the enclave as their houses are being bombed.

To meet the minimum level of dietary diversity for healthy development, “children must consume foods from at least 5 of the 8 food groups determined by the dietary diversity score used by UNICEF and WHO,” as pointed out in Al Jazeera.  

The hunger and malnutrition is being exacerbated by the intence bombing the Gaza Strip has been subjected to in this war that saw Israel drop 70,000 tons of explosives on the enclave.

Tel Aviv’s “indiscriminate attacks” on Palestinian children and women are “clearly Israeli war crimes,” said the head of a Norwegian non-governmental organization, as quoted by the Anadolu Turkish news agency.

“It is obscene to continue waging war through refugee camps. Even if Hamas committed the war crime of hiding fighters among displaced civilians, these continued, indiscriminate attacks killing scores of children and women are clearly Israeli war crimes, he said on the X platform.

His comments came after at least 39 displaced Palestinians were killed, Thursday, in Israeli airstrike on a school sheltering thousands of displaced people in the Nuseirat refugee camp, the central Gaza Strip, according to Gaza authorities.

  • CrossFireArabia

    CrossFireArabia

    Dr. Marwan Asmar holds a PhD from Leeds University and is a freelance writer specializing on the Middle East. He has worked as a journalist since the early 1990s in Jordan and the Gulf countries, and been widely published, including at Albawaba, Gulf News, Al Ghad, World Press Review and others.

    Related Posts

    US/Israel Used 3000 Missiles in First 36 Hours of War

    More than 3,000 precision-guided munitions and interceptors were used in the first 36 hours of the US-Israeli offensive against Iran, revealing a major weakness in the supply chain.

    Estimates by the Payne Institute indicated that Iran launched over 1,000 weapons across the region, including around 380 ballistic missiles, 700 Shahed drones, and 50 air defense missiles, prompting large-scale interception attempts by the US, Israel, and Gulf countries that have been targets of Iranian retaliatory attacks.

    During the opening phase of the campaign, US forces used a wide range of offensive weapons, including 210 JDAM precision-guided bombs, 120 Tomahawk cruise missiles, 120 low-cost drones, and 90 AGM-88 anti-radiation missiles targeting Iranian radar systems.

    Israeli forces also conducted extensive strikes, using about 280 Spice-guided bombs, 140 smart bomb kits, 70 Rampage supersonic missiles, and 50 Delilah cruise or loitering missiles, according to the estimates.

    Defensive systems were also heavily used to intercept Iranian attacks. The US fired approximately 180 SM-2/SM-3/SM-6 naval interceptors, 90 Patriot PAC-2/PAC-3 missiles, and 40 THAAD interceptors, while Israel deployed 70 Iron Dome Tamir interceptors, 40 Arrow missiles, and 35 David’s Sling interceptors.

    Regional partners also participated in air defense efforts, with Gulf states launching about 250 Patriot PAC-3 interceptors and 30 THAAD missiles, the estimates showed.

    The intense exchange of missiles and drones underscored a broader strategic challenge, according to media reports. While defensive systems have largely intercepted incoming attacks, the cost and volume of munitions used are placing significant strain on Western supply chains.

    Replenishing these arsenals is not only a financial challenge but also a supply-chain issue tied to critical minerals, including cobalt, tungsten, and rare earth elements that are essential for guidance systems, electronics, and rocket motors.

    Many of these materials are sourced from limited suppliers, with China dominating several key mineral markets, raising concerns that prolonged conflict could expose vulnerabilities in Western defense manufacturing capacity. Anadolu

    Continue reading

    You Missed

    IRGC says Iran started its Operation True Promise 26 by launching missiles and drones against Israel

    IRGC says Iran started its Operation True Promise  26 by launching missiles and drones against Israel

    Iran Halts Attacks on Neighboring States Unless…

    Iran Halts Attacks on Neighboring States Unless…

    Iranian govt spokesman: 30% of victims are children; 165 of them killed among 1300 civilians who died by US/Israeli bombing

    Iranian govt spokesman: 30% of victims are children; 165 of them killed among 1300 civilians who died by US/Israeli bombing

    White House: ‘We destroyed more than 30 Iranian ships and are moving to destroying the navy completely’

    White House: ‘We destroyed more than 30 Iranian ships and are moving to destroying the navy completely’

    White House: ‘We Have 4 to 6 Weeks to End The Military Operations in Iran’

    White House: ‘We Have 4 to 6 Weeks to End The Military Operations in Iran’

    IRGC: Iran Has Not Closed The Hormuz Strait Except to Ships Linked to Israel/USA

    IRGC: Iran Has Not Closed The Hormuz Strait Except to Ships Linked to Israel/USA