Children in Northern Gaza Suffering from Starvation, WHO Chief Reports
Updated: 4 March 2024
Summary
Children in northern Gaza are now facing a severe crisis of malnutrition and starvation, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The agency’s chief, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, expressed grave concern about the lack of food, destroyed hospital buildings, and the resultant deaths of ten children. Immediate and urgent action is needed to prevent further tragic and preventable deaths in the region.
Desperate Conditions in Northern Gaza
During a recent visit to the Al-Awda and Kamal Adwan hospitals, the WHO witnessed the dire situation in northern Gaza. The lack of food has resulted in severe levels of malnutrition, and ten children have tragically lost their lives. Hospital buildings have also been destroyed, further exacerbating the crisis.
Children Dying from Starvation
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. Even more disheartening, a sixteenth child was reported dead at a hospital in the southern city of Rafah. Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized the urgent need for intervention, illustrating the catastrophic reality of “severe levels of malnutrition, children dying of starvation, serious shortages of fuel, food, and medical supplies, and destroyed hospital buildings.”
International Concerns and Warnings
Multiple aid agencies, such as the United Nations (UN), have voiced their concerns regarding the impending famine in Gaza. The regional director of the UN’s children’s agency, Unicef, Adele Khodr, stated that “the child deaths we feared are here, as malnutrition ravages the Gaza Strip.” Aid agencies have stressed that the tragic deaths are entirely preventable and a result of man-made circumstances.
Obstacles and Disagreements
Aid agencies have faced various challenges in providing the necessary assistance to the people of Gaza. While aid drops have been attempted, many agencies argue that they are an inefficient method to distribute supplies. Disagreements between the Israeli government and aid agencies have further complicated the situation, hindering the provision of crucial aid.
A Plea for Immediate Action
With an estimated 300,000 people in northern Gaza suffering from a shortage of food and clean water, urgent action is necessary to avert a severe humanitarian crisis. Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus’s alarming report highlights the need for continuous and regular access to the region, as well as the urgent requirement for increased supplies of vital resources to save innocent lives.
