GAZA, (PIC)
Children are perhaps the most targeted group by the Israeli occupation army in the ongoing genocide in the Gaza Strip for the past 14 months. They are the ones dying from occupation bombs, starvation, and diseases.
Due to the Israeli occupation’s policies of systematic starvation, acute malnutrition among children in the Gaza Strip is worsening, leading to their deaths and severe emaciation.
50,000 children in Gaza suffer from malnutrition
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported that 50,000 Palestinian children in the Gaza Strip suffer from acute malnutrition due to the Israeli occupation’s tight siege on the population. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health in Gaza confirmed that one million children are at risk of malnutrition.
The PIC correspondent reports that, according to his observations, the Israeli occupation authorities are preventing the entry of food and basic supplies into the Gaza Strip, including a complete ban on flour, plunging the area into a terrible famine where people struggle to obtain food to survive.
This famine undoubtedly takes the heaviest toll on children, who have already paid a significant price in blood, as government reports in Gaza documented the martyrdom of 18,000 children due to occupation bombs and missiles, not to mention the deprivation of nearly one million children from health, education, and proper nutrition.
The life of a malnourished child
Yasmin Abu Al-Ata frequently visits child care centers after noticing signs of weakness and emaciation in her five-month-old daughter, “Hayat.” Abu Al-Ata tells our correspondent that her daughter Hayat does not respond to milk, and that she decided to seek treatment, with doctors diagnosing her with acute malnutrition, as her weight did not exceed 4 kilograms. She explained that she struggles to provide necessary nutrition for her daughter, whether it’s fortified milk or various nutritional supplements.
She appeals for an end to the war and for the necessary aid to be allowed into the Strip, especially for children, asking: “How much longer will children be killed? Now they are starving and deprived of nutrition. What kind of injustice is this? What kind of shame is this?”
Systematic starvation
Dr. Marwan Al-Hams, director of field hospitals at the Ministry of Health in Gaza, confirmed that they do not have what to give to malnutrition cases that reach them due to the strict Israeli blockade. He emphasized that these cases are deteriorating significantly, which could lead to death.
The systematic starvation in the Gaza Strip and the policy of tightening the siege have led to the deaths of dozens of Palestinians, while thousands suffer the horrors of hunger and emaciation, enduring harsh daily struggles to provide for themselves and their children.
Reports confirm that famine in the Gaza Strip is widespread, with people lacking any nutritional value in their food; even flour has become a rare commodity, and when available, it is accompanied only by some spices like sumac and thyme.
And here lies the most significant and pressing question: what has happened to the bodies of one million children in Gaza in the face of such severe malnutrition over the course of an entire year, during their crucial growth stages?
Our reporter traveled through the streets of Deir al-Balah and Khan Yunis, confirming the absence of important and nutritious food items such as fruits, vegetables, cheeses, dairy products, and meats. He noted that when these items are available, they are priced exorbitantly, beyond the reach of the people.
Shortage of goods and rising prices
The World Food Program confirmed that food prices in Gaza have increased by 1000%, putting all residents on the brink of disaster. Meanwhile, UN reports indicate that Israel is depriving the people of Gaza of basic essentials for survival.
Hossam Abu Safiya, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahia, warns about the future impact of malnutrition on children. He stated, “Most cases that come to us with advanced symptoms, and this needs to be taken seriously. We must allow the entry of all necessary medications, foods, and therapeutic milk for these cases. It’s crucial to allow all food items into the region.”
He added, “It’s well known that northern Gaza has flour and some canned goods, but there are no vegetables, fruits, oils, or meats. All of this will have future repercussions on the bodies of children. This problem will persist unless the food situation is resolved.”
Abu Safiya’s comments equally apply to southern Gaza, where for over three months, the occupying forces have tightened restrictions on truck deliveries. What is allowed into the area is often looted by bandits in areas where the occupying forces are present, complicating the situation further.
Heartbreaking stories
Mothers share painful stories about their children who are suffering due to the inability to obtain proper food. Maysoun Aqel, mother of the sick child Malak, says, “My daughter started showing symptoms after she was one month old, and when she reached about 40 days, she was hospitalized due to severe diarrhea. Every time she breastfed, she would vomit everything immediately. Although the doctors didn’t diagnose her condition, they suggested she might be allergic to milk and said she needed a special formula that isn’t available in Gaza. So, they gave me protein-free milk.”
Despite the importance of vegetables and fruits, they remain out of reach for mothers like Maysoun: “It is essential for me to eat fruits and vegetables because they contain all the vitamins needed for both the mother and the child. Unfortunately, fruits and vegetables are not available in Gaza; only canned goods are there. Meat is also unavailable.”
Dina Rawahi Ziyada, mother of child Ahmad, says, “My child was born on January 6, 2024, and currently weighs five kilograms. We went to the nutrition department at Kamal Adwan Hospital because he was losing weight instead of gaining it. As you know, a child should start eating fruits and vegetables after they reach seven months. Of course, none of this is available in Gaza. As for maternal nutrition, it is also crucial, but currently, there are no healthy foods available, and even the water is almost completely contaminated.”
Dina expressed her concern for her son’s well-being, “A mother’s fear for her child is immeasurable. I fear for my son from the war more than anything else. I worry about his hunger, poor health, and the dire circumstances we are in, and of course, this affects me personally and psychologically.”
Pediatrician and nutrition expert Yasmin Labed told our reporter that hospitals in Gaza are overflowing with cases of malnutrition, exceeding the hospitals’ capacity. She added that hospitals, including field hospitals, are struggling with the increasing number of malnutrition cases, especially among children under five.
She noted that malnutrition has spread significantly in Gaza, with cases we never saw before the war, now prevalent, especially severe malnutrition among children.
Health deterioration
According to reports from municipalities in Gaza, displaced Palestinians are experiencing a deterioration in health due to malnutrition, which is a contributing factor to the spread of diseases and epidemics amid worsening environmental conditions.
The Palestinian doctor pointed out that a large number of children in southern Gaza suffer from malnutrition due to several reasons, primarily the lack of food and the unavailability of balanced protein sources under the strict Israeli blockade, along with families’ inability to purchase suitable foods due to the high prices.
Regarding the treatment of malnutrition cases, she emphasized the need for nutritional supplements of proteins and carbohydrates, which residents are finding extremely difficult to provide. She confirmed that “cases suffering from chronic diseases and malnutrition need balanced, high-energy diets, which are currently unavailable due to the blockade and the prevention of aid entry.”
She asserted that “most children in Gaza rely primarily on grains, rice, potatoes, and canned goods, which do not support proper growth. The lack of eggs and various types of milk will create a real crisis.”
