Child malnutrition in Gaza has reached unprecedented levels, UNICEF warned in a statement issued Thursday, citing alarming new data from August.
Devastating rate of child malnutrition in the Gaza Strip in August surpasses July record
After July IPC famine finding in Gaza City, screenings show 1 in 5 children acutely malnourished as the military offensive there escalates
The agency reported that the rate of acute malnutrition among children screened across the Gaza Strip rose to 13.5% last month, up from 8.3% in July.
In Gaza City, where famine has been officially confirmed, the situation is even more dire, with 19% of children treated for acute malnutrition, compared to 16% the previous month.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell stated that one in five children in Gaza City was diagnosed with acute malnutrition in August and required life-saving nutritional support.
While the agency has managed to deliver additional supplies into the Strip, Israeli military escalation has forced the closure of at least ten nutrition centers, leaving thousands of children without access to treatment.
Russell emphasized the urgent need to protect nutrition services across Gaza, stating, “No child should suffer from malnutrition that we can prevent and treat when we have safe access to deliver aid.”
The closures, combined with the blockade and ongoing bombardment, have left children increasingly vulnerable to starvation and disease.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel, as the occupying power, has carried out a campaign of genocide in Gaza, marked by mass killings, starvation, destruction, and forced displacement.
The ongoing genocide has claimed the lives of at least 64,718 Palestinians and injured more than 163,859 others, the majority of whom are women and children.
Famine-related deaths have reached 411, including 142 children, as the siege continues in defiance of international calls and binding orders from the International Court of Justice.
You can read UNICEF’s official statement on the August malnutrition data on their press release page.
