U.N. Agency in Gaza says one in Three Children Under 2 is Acutely Malnourished
One in every three children under the age of two in northern Gaza is now chronically malnourished, and famine is looming, according to the primary United Nations organization operating in the Palestinian territory on Saturday.
“Child malnutrition is spreading rapidly and reaching unprecedented levels in Gaza,” the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) stated in a social media post.
More than five months into Israel’s air and ground assault in Gaza, sparked by Hamas’ invasion on October 7, much of the enclave is in ruins, with the majority of its 2.3 million residents homeless and suffering a severe humanitarian catastrophe.
Some Gaza youngsters have died as a result of starvation and dehydration, according to hospital reports.
The international food insecurity watchdog, the IPC, is expected to report soon on the extent of the hunger crisis in Gaza after saying in December there was a risk of famine in the projection period through May.
For the IPC to declare famine, at least 20% of the population must be suffering extreme food shortages, with one in three children acutely malnourished and two people out of every 10,000 dying daily from starvation or malnutrition and disease.
Western countries have called on Israel to do more to allow in aid, with the U.N. saying it faced “overwhelming obstacles” including crossing closures, onerous vetting, restrictions on movement and unrest inside Gaza.
Israel says it puts no limit on humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza and blames slow aid delivery on incapacity or inefficiency among U.N. agencies.
Air and sea relief deliveries into Gaza have started, but aid agencies say these are no substitute for bringing in supplies by land.
A first delivery into Gaza by the World Central Kitchen, pioneering a new sea route via Cyprus, arrived on Thursday and was off-loaded, the charity said.
Israel has accused UNRWA of complicity with Hamas, saying some staff members took part in the Oct. 7 attack and calling for the agency to be dismantled. Several major donors have paused funding over the allegations.
UNRWA denies complicity with Hamas and said in February that it had dismissed 12 of its 13,000 staff in Gaza shortly after Israel accused them of involvement. The U.N. oversight body and UNRWA itself have launched investigations that have yet to report.
European Union humanitarian chief Janez Lenarcic said on Thursday he had seen no evidence from Israel yet to back up its accusations.
