At least 147 people, including 88 children, have died from hunger and malnutrition in the Gaza Strip since Israeli attacks began in October 2023, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza. The fatalities underscore the region’s escalating humanitarian emergency amid a total blockade that has cut off access to food, medicine, and vital aid.

Hospitals still functioning report a steady influx of patients — children, elderly, and pregnant women — displaying symptoms of acute malnutrition, exhaustion, and extreme fatigue. Medical personnel describe a system in total collapse, unable to cope with demand or provide adequate care due to critical shortages of supplies and staff.

One of the most heartrending cases was that of Mohammed Ibrahim Adas, an infant who died earlier this week at Al-Shifa Hospital from severe malnutrition and the lack of infant formula. His death highlights the impact of a blockade that has lasted more than 150 days, during which humanitarian convoys have been repeatedly denied entry.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has deemed Gaza’s nutritional situation “alarming.” In its latest update, the agency reported 63 deaths from hunger in July alone, including 24 children under five.

More than 5,000 children have been hospitalized for malnutrition, with at least 18% suffering from severe acute malnutrition, a life-threatening condition without immediate intervention.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has warned that child malnutrition rates have doubled between March and June, directly linked to the ongoing Israeli blockade, which continues to restrict the flow of essential goods into the territory.

Humanitarian organizations say that since border crossings were closed in early March, aid deliveries have been sporadic, insufficient, and in some cases completely blocked. This has triggered what many are calling a man-made famine, with conditions deteriorating by the day.

International pressure is mounting for an immediate end to the siege. Several rights groups have accused Israeli authorities of employing starvation as a weapon of war, calling for investigations into potential war crimes and collective punishment under international law.

Health experts warn that the crisis is leaving psychological scars in addition to physical ones. Aid organizations have documented rising cases of trauma and anxiety among children, with long-term developmental risks if adequate nutrition and care are not restored quickly.

Despite extreme limitations, Gaza’s medical workers continue to serve as lifelines for the vulnerable, often improvising with dwindling resources and facing impossible choices.

The WHO concludes its latest appeal with a stark warning: “Without urgent intervention, more lives will be lost — and the youngest will pay the heaviest price.”

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