Children are among the most vulnerable victims of Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza, which has lasted 14 months. While bombings continue to take lives, starvation and disease have become equally deadly, with the Israeli blockade worsening the crisis.

UNICEF reports that 50,000 Palestinian children are severely malnourished, with over a million more at risk. Dr. Marwan Al-Hems, director of field hospitals in Gaza, confirms that medical facilities lack the necessary resources to treat malnutrition. The blockade has decimated Gaza’s food supply, leaving essentials like flour, oil, vegetables, and protein unavailable, and the limited food available lacks nutritional value.

Mothers across Gaza are sharing heartbreaking stories. Mason Aqel’s one-month-old daughter, Malak, was hospitalized with severe diarrhea from malnutrition. “Fruits and vegetables are non-existent,” he says. Dina Al-Rawahi’s seven-month-old son, Ahmed, weighs just five kilograms, far below a healthy weight. “He should be eating fruits and vegetables, but none are available,” she explains. The lack of clean water makes proper nourishment even more difficult.

Dr. Yasmin Labad, a pediatrician, notes that Gaza’s hospitals are overwhelmed with malnutrition cases, particularly in children under five. "This level of acute malnutrition has never been seen before," she says. Gaza’s reliance on limited foods like rice and canned goods is insufficient for child development, with essential foods like eggs and fortified milk unavailable.

The World Food Programme reports that food prices in Gaza have increased by 1,000%, pushing families to the brink of starvation. Dr. Hossam Abu Safiya, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, warns that most malnutrition cases are already in advanced stages, emphasizing the need for immediate access to medicine and balanced food supplies.

The Israeli blockade and the plundering of humanitarian aid have left Gaza in desperate need. Mothers like Dina are concerned not only about their children’s physical health but also their psychological well-being amidst the ongoing war. Without urgent international intervention, the malnutrition crisis will worsen, leaving a generation of children physically and emotionally scarred.