Adnan Abu Hasna, media advisor for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), has issued a stark warning about the worsening health crisis in Gaza. He revealed that the majority of newborns in the besieged enclave suffer from severe underweight and stunting, consequences of prolonged malnutrition that grips the population.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, Abu Hasna stressed that the dire humanitarian conditions cannot improve without an immediate ceasefire. “This catastrophe cannot be addressed while the war rages on,” he said, underscoring the urgent need for peace as the foundation for relief efforts.

He highlighted the critical need for hundreds of aid trucks daily, but lamented that Israeli restrictions and security measures continue to block safe passage, severely limiting the flow of vital supplies. “Israel must allow safe corridors for humanitarian aid,” he insisted.

Abu Hasna also pointed to the destruction of water desalination plants, which has led to contaminated water and outbreaks of disease, disproportionately affecting children. He warned that without swift international intervention, an entire generation in Gaza faces not only physical suffering but lasting psychological trauma, with consequences that could far outlast the current conflict.