Six Children Die from Dehydration and Malnutrition in Gaza as Humanitarian Crisis Worsens
The dire humanitarian situation in the besieged enclave of Gaza has reached catastrophic levels, with six children losing their lives due to dehydration and malnutrition. The Health Ministry in Gaza reported that two children passed away at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, while four others died at the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza. Additionally, seven children remain in critical condition.
The Health Ministry spokesperson, Ashraf al-Qudra, issued a statement urging international agencies to intervene immediately to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in northern Gaza. As Israel’s attacks on Gaza continue, al-Qudra emphasized that the international community is facing a moral and humanitarian test to stop the ongoing genocide in the region.
The situation at Kamal Adwan Hospital has worsened due to a lack of fuel to run its generators, rendering the hospital out of service. Similarly, Al-Awda Hospital in Jabalia also faced the same fate. Journalist Ebrahem Musalam shared a video on Instagram, verified by Al Jazeera’s Sanad verification unit, showing an infant suffering from malnutrition and a lack of infant formula at Kamal Adwan Hospital. The constant power outages resulting from fuel shortages have also caused necessary medical devices to stop working.
The closure of Kamal Adwan Hospital has raised concerns among Palestinian group Hamas, who believe it will exacerbate the health and humanitarian crisis in Northern Gaza. The area is already on the brink of famine as Israel continues to block or disrupt aid missions.
In a positive development, Israel announced that a convoy of 31 trucks carrying food entered northern Gaza on Wednesday. The Coordination of Government Activity in the Territories (COGAT), which oversees Palestinian civilian affairs, stated that nearly 20 other trucks had entered the north on Monday and Tuesday. These aid deliveries mark the first major assistance provided to the devastated and isolated area in a month. The United Nations has previously warned of worsening starvation in Gaza.
However, Israel’s delay in allowing aid into Gaza has had severe consequences. UN officials estimate that the months-long war has pushed a quarter of Gaza’s population, which amounts to 2.3 million people, to the brink of famine. Project Hope, a humanitarian group operating a clinic in Deir el-Balah, reported that 21 percent of pregnant women and 11 percent of children under the age of five they treated in the last three weeks suffered from malnutrition. The scarcity and high cost of nutrient-dense foods have forced people to rely on white bread as their primary source of sustenance.
In response to the crisis, Qatar and France released a joint communique expressing their opposition to an Israeli military offensive on Rafah in southern Gaza. They also emphasized their rejection of the killing and starvation endured by the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. The two countries called for the opening of all crossings into Gaza, including in the north, to allow humanitarian actors to resume their activities and deliver much-needed food supplies. Additionally, Qatar and France pledged a joint effort of $200 million in support of the Palestinian population.
Jan Egeland, secretary-general of the Norwegian Refugee Council, echoed the urgent need for aid trucks to enter Gaza to address the dire humanitarian crisis. He highlighted the long queues of aid trucks waiting at the Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings, emphasizing that not a single day has seen the necessary 500 trucks cross into Gaza. Egeland called on Israel to fix the broken system for the sake of innocent lives.
Medical aid group Doctors Without Borders, also known as Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), reported that medical workers are struggling to provide assistance to hundreds of thousands of displaced people in Gaza who are living in dire conditions with nowhere to go. The healthcare system has been attacked and is on the verge of collapse. MSF’s Meinie Nicolai explained that they are working from tents, treating the wounded and addressing infections caused by the displacement. The mental toll on the population is also significant, with people feeling desperate and unsure of what to do.
The worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza demands immediate action from the international community. The lives of innocent children are at stake, and urgent intervention is necessary to prevent further loss of life and alleviate the suffering endured by the Palestinian people.
