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Hospital administrators in the Gaza Strip are facing an alarming increase in malnutrition cases among children as aid continues to be severely restricted. Reports indicate that while some assistance does make it through border crossings, much of it is systematically looted, further exacerbating the dire situation.
According to Dr. Mohammed Shaheen, an intensive care physician at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, the prevalence of malnutrition is becoming a significant challenge for healthcare facilities throughout the region.
“Hospitals are overwhelmed by the influx of malnutrition cases,” he noted.
Dr. Shaheen described how his hospital in Deir al-Balah, already operating at full capacity, has had to transfer patients to other facilities, which are also struggling with food and formula shortages for infants.
Hanan Sobh, a mother displaced from Beit Lahiya, shared her heartbreaking experience. Having given birth to her son Ahmad prematurely in June, she expressed concern about his inability to gain weight due to inadequate nutrition.
“He’s been the same weight since birth… it hasn’t changed,” she conveyed from Al-Aqsa Hospital in central Gaza.
WATCH | Aid groups say Gaza food crisis is continually getting worse:
Gaza aid groups, Israel disagree over state of hunger crisis
Aid organizations report that the food crisis is deteriorating, with limited supplies reaching those in need. While Israel claims there is sufficient food and that few are in need, there is mounting evidence to dispute this assertion.
‘Malnutrition is everywhere,’ says Palestinian mother
Sobh described her son’s continued hospitalization, where he has been receiving treatment for malnutrition. As a mother displaced multiple times throughout the ongoing conflict, she noted that the availability of infant formula is erratic.
“Malnutrition is everywhere,” she said, emphasizing that many mothers struggle to find enough food for themselves, complicating breastfeeding efforts.
The Israeli army’s control over the aid supply chains has been a critical factor contributing to the prevalent malnutrition among Gaza’s population, particularly in children.
This is not an isolated issue; earlier reports this year highlighted cases of children suffering from extreme hunger throughout the territory.
Ahmad remains at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, where he continues to receive vital nutrients and medical care for his condition.
Hussam Abu Safiya, director of the Kamal Adwan Hospital located in northern Gaza, echoed these sentiments, indicating that malnutrition cases among children are increasingly frequent, compounding the hospital’s challenges as operations are drastically limited.
Abu Safiya highlighted the dire circumstances, stating that the hospital is virtually under siege and that crucial medical supplies have not reached them due to the current warfare conditions.
“We are inundated with distress calls but lack the ambulances to respond. The situation is catastrophic,” he expressed.
Tragically, he has received calls from women and children trapped under collapsed structures, adding to the growing number of casualties.
WATCH | Malnutrition cases among children growing in Gaza:
5-month-old boy among growing number of child malnutrition cases in Gaza
On a separate occasion, Sobh expressed her fears about the ongoing food shortages impacting her ability to nourish her son, who remains hospitalized with malnutrition in Deir al-Balah.
Canada expresses concern over malnutrition levels
Recently, Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Mélanie Joly, articulated profound concerns regarding the devastating humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza, underscoring “life-threatening levels of acute malnutrition.”
Joly referenced a report from the Famine Review Committee, indicating a strong likelihood that regions in northern Gaza are facing famine conditions, with approximately 133,000 individuals experiencing catastrophic food insecurity.
“Civilians—men, women, and children—are dying for lack of humanitarian assistance,” she stated, sharing the spotlight with International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen.
Further emphasizing the urgent nature of the situation, a United Nations aid official remarked that access to humanitarian support in Gaza is at a critical low, with nearly impossible delivery routes leading into the distressed northern territories.
Amjad Al-Shawa, from the Palestinian NGO Network in Gaza, expressed concerns regarding the absence of intervention from the international community, suggesting an impending worsening of conditions.
He predicted, “We are on the verge of further deterioration without real aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip,” urging the UN to declare the region a “famine zone.”
In Khan Younis, residents queued outside the only operational bakery, desperately seeking bread amid ongoing flour shortages.
WATCH | Some Palestinians say they cannot find bread to feed their families:
Flour shortage, bakery closures exacerbate already dire food situation in Gaza
76 killed in strikes over 24 hours: Health Ministry
In the context of rising violence, the Israeli military’s airstrikes across Gaza resulted in the deaths of 20 Palestinians on Monday, including several victims from attacks targeting temporary shelters of displaced families.
Notably, in Al-Mawasi, an airstrike on a tent encampment in a designated humanitarian zone claimed the lives of two children among others.
Casualties also included individuals in Rafah and Nuseirat camps, with reports indicating that Israeli military actions have claimed at least 76 lives within a 24-hour span, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Witnesses recount frantic search efforts on Monday, as rescuers scoured the rubble for victims following airstrikes in densely populated areas.
Tragedies like the death of Mohammed Aboul Hassan’s brother highlight the human cost of conflict, as he mourned the loss of innocent lives caught in the crossfire.
Violent looting of aid convoy causes loss of 98 trucks
As the humanitarian crisis deepens, a disturbing incident on November 16 saw a convoy of 109 trucks, part of an aid mission, violently looted, resulting in the loss of 98 trucks. This event represents one of the most severe aid access challenges during the ongoing conflict, as reported by a UNRWA official.
These trucks, filled with food supplied by UN agencies, were rerouted unexpectedly by Israeli authorities, causing confusion and chaos upon arrival in Gaza.
Louise Wateridge, a senior officer with UNRWA, articulated the urgent need for improved access for relief efforts, underscoring the increasing risks faced by humanitarian workers trying to assist a population desperately in need.
In a conflicting narrative, Hamas claimed an operation against the looters leading to casualties among them, although this assertion has not been verified independently.
WATCH | Large food convoy violently looted Saturday, organizations say:
Convoy of aid trucks violently looted in Gaza, UN agencies say
Amidst the violence, Israeli officials report ongoing efforts to provide humanitarian supplies, claiming a recent transfer of medical resources and fuel to hospitals in northern Gaza.
Despite these claims, widespread issues surrounding aid distribution persist, with Israeli officials attributing the challenges to UN logistical difficulties.
The conflict escalated on October 7, 2023, following an assault led by Hamas militants that resulted in significant casualties and hostage situations, culminating in over 43,800 reported deaths in Gaza. The ongoing warfare has resulted in widespread destruction across the Gaza Strip, with many civilians displaced multiple times and feared trapped under rubble, driving concern for continued humanitarian crises.
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