The Palestinian Ministry of Health has issued a grave warning: more than half a million children in Gaza, most under the age of five, are at risk of infectious disease outbreaks due to the ongoing Israeli military offensive and the collapse of essential health services.

Dr. Ayman Abu Rahma, head of preventive medicine, stated that overcrowding in shelters and camps—resulting from mass displacement—has intensified the spread of severe diarrheal illnesses and other infections. The lack of clean water, basic food supplies, and sanitation infrastructure has created conditions ripe for epidemic escalation.

“Any new wave of displacement will deepen the crisis,” Abu Rahma emphasized, noting that children and the elderly are especially vulnerable. He called on the international community to urgently support Gaza’s health sector, particularly in early diagnosis and basic care for displaced populations.

The warning aligns with recent UN findings that every child under five in Gaza is now at risk of life-threatening malnutrition.

UNICEF reports that over 320,000 children are suffering from acute undernutrition, with thousands experiencing the deadliest form—severe acute malnutrition. Hospitals are overwhelmed, and fewer than 15% of essential nutrition services remain functional.

Dr. Ahmed Al-Farra, director of Pediatrics and Maternity at Nasser Medical Complex, condemned the global silence: “The world should be ashamed of the famine in Gaza.”

He revealed that 5,000 chronic patients are experiencing dangerous blood sugar imbalances due to food shortages, and child growth is being severely stunted.

The situation continues to deteriorate as humanitarian aid remains blocked or insufficient. UN agencies warn that without immediate, unrestricted access to food, water, medicine, and sanitation, the death toll among Gaza’s children will rise dramatically.

IN THIS ARTICLE