Gaza city: The United Nations has announced that malnutrition rates in the Gaza Strip, particularly among children, are 'alarmingly high'. Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General, conveyed this message during a daily press briefing in New York, emphasizing the critical levels of starvation and malnutrition affecting children.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, Haq reported that acute malnutrition among children in Gaza has reached unprecedented levels. In July, nearly 12,000 children aged between 6 to 59 months were identified as acutely malnourished, with over 2,500 suffering from severe acute malnutrition. This severe form of malnutrition required hospitalization for forty children in stabilization centers. The proportion of children with severe acute malnutrition is on the rise, increasing to 18 percent in June and July from 12 percent in the previous months of March to May.
Haq criticized the occupation authorities for imposing constraints on humanitarian access, which severely limits the ability to address the nutrition crisis. In July, only 3 percent of the 290,000 children under five requiring feeding and micronutrient supplements were reached due to the shortage of necessary nutritional supplies entering Gaza. The distribution of vital nutrition supplies for children, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers has also seen a significant decline.
He further highlighted the issue of Israeli restrictions on the entry of shelter materials into Gaza, noting that over 1 million shelter items and 2.3 million items like tents and tarps are stranded in Jordan and Egypt. These materials have not been allowed entry since March 2, exacerbating the already dire shelter crisis. An assessment in July revealed that almost all of the surveyed displacement sites in Gaza City had families without shelter, with 11 percent of surveyed households living in the open.
Haq expressed concern that the tactical pauses announced by the occupation authorities do not facilitate the necessary continuous flow of humanitarian aid. Despite announcements of tactical pauses meant to allow safe aid convoys, the situation on the ground remains unchanged, with significant impediments still facing aid deliveries.
Regarding fuel supplies, Haq noted that while some fuel has entered Gaza recently, the supply remains critically limited and unpredictable, undermining the delivery and sustainability of lifesaving services. He emphasized the urgent need for unimpeded and predictable humanitarian access alongside the flow of commercial goods into and within Gaza.
