Children Dying of Starvation in Northern Gaza, Says WHO Chief
In a heartbreaking revelation, the World Health Organization (WHO) chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has reported that children in northern Gaza are dying of starvation. The WHO’s recent visits to the Al-Awda and Kamal Adwan hospitals have uncovered devastating conditions and “severe levels of malnutrition.” This marks the first visit by the agency since early October.
The dire situation in northern Gaza has resulted in the deaths of 10 children due to a lack of food and severe malnutrition. Additionally, hospital buildings have been destroyed, exacerbating the already critical circumstances. The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza has reported that at least 15 children have died from malnutrition and dehydration at the Kamal Adwan hospital. Tragically, another child lost their life at a hospital in the southern city of Rafah.
Dr. Tedros expressed his concerns on social media, stating, “severe levels of malnutrition, children dying of starvation, serious shortages of fuel, food and medical supplies, hospital buildings destroyed” in northern Gaza. Approximately 300,000 people are living in this area with limited access to food and clean water.
The WHO’s visits to Al-Awda Hospital have revealed an appalling situation, with one of the buildings completely destroyed. Despite efforts to gain regular access to northern Gaza, these visits were the first in months.
The United Nations (UN) has also issued warnings about the famine in Gaza, stating that it is “almost inevitable.” A senior UN aid official has highlighted that 576,000 people across the Gaza Strip, equivalent to one-quarter of the population, are facing catastrophic levels of food insecurity. Shockingly, one in six children under the age of two in the north are suffering from acute malnutrition.
Adele Khodr, the regional director of the UN’s children’s agency, Unicef, expressed her distress over the child deaths caused by malnutrition in the Gaza Strip. She emphasized that these deaths were preventable and a result of man-made circumstances.
In response to the crisis, the US launched its first airdrop of humanitarian aid into Gaza, including over 38,000 meals. However, aid agencies have criticized these drops as an inefficient way of delivering supplies to those in need. Previous airdrops by the UK, France, Egypt, and Jordan have also faced challenges, with incidents turning deadly when large crowds gathered around aid lorries while Israeli tanks were present.
The Israeli government has been accused of attempting to eliminate the presence of aid agencies in Gaza. Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Gaza, accused Israel of having a wider political motive that includes dismantling the status of refugees and preventing a final political settlement. Lazzarini warned that if UNRWA is dismantled, the entire humanitarian response in Gaza would collapse.
The Israeli military launched a large-scale campaign against Hamas, a designated terrorist organization, following an attack by Hamas gunmen that resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people in southern Israel. Since then, more than 30,500 people, mostly women and children, have been killed in Gaza.
The situation in northern Gaza is dire, with children dying from starvation and severe malnutrition. The lack of access to food, clean water, and medical supplies has created a humanitarian crisis that demands immediate attention. The international community must come together to provide aid and support to alleviate the suffering of the people in Gaza.