UNRWA Reports Alarming Malnutrition Rates Among Gaza’s Children

Gaza: The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has revealed that one in ten children examined in its clinics across Gaza is suffering from malnutrition. According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, UNRWA Communications Director Juliette Touma communicated via video link from Amman, Jordan, during a session in Geneva. She highlighted the confirmation from UNRWA health teams regarding the high rates of malnutrition in Gaza, particularly since the blockade was tightened over four months ago on March 2. Touma reported that UNRWA has screened more than 240,000 children under the age of five since January 2024. She noted that malnutrition was scarcely detected in the Gaza Strip prior to the ongoing conflict. A nurse shared with UNRWA that his prior knowledge of malnutrition came solely from educational materials and documentaries. Touma further stated that essential supplies, including medicines, nutrition supplies, hygiene materials, and fuel, ar e depleting at a rapid pace. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) echoed these concerns, reporting that more than 5,800 children in Gaza were diagnosed with malnutrition last month, with over 1,000 suffering from severe acute malnutrition. This marks the fourth consecutive month of rising malnutrition cases. Medical sources in the Gaza Strip recently reported that the number of children who have died due to malnutrition has reached 67. Moreover, over 650,000 children under five are facing an imminent risk of severe malnutrition in the coming weeks, out of a total of 1.1 million children in the region.