Gaza faces man-made famine as malnutrition crisis deepens

Israel’s nearly two-year war has pushed parts of Gaza into what experts are calling a “man-made famine”, according to a report published by a United Nations-backed initiative.

The crisis has intensified the Palestinians’ struggle for survival under relentless bombing, mass displacement and the spread of disease.

Dr Rana Abu Zaatir, Head of the Department of Therapeutic Nutrition at Al-Awda Hospital in northern Gaza, described the worsening situation.

“Large numbers of patients are coming to us from the southern Gaza Strip and from the southern areas. In addition to the increase in the number of cases among children under five years old, we have started to face new numbers and new cases in those over five years old.

“As a result, we have begun to receive cases of severe malnutrition with medical complications from five to twelve years old. We have also recently begun to receive cases from the age of two months to six months,” she said.

Currently, only four malnutrition stabilisation centres in Gaza remain operational. Northern Gaza has been cut off from food aid for weeks, leaving the nutrition response critically short of therapeutic foods.

“There are large numbers of children and adults who have died due to malnutrition and its complications. Unfortunately, in the coming days and even in the coming period, if the crossings remain closed and the prices of basic commodities continue to rise, we will face a real disaster in the Gaza Strip due to malnutrition and the lack of sufficient food resources for a normal life for these people,” stated Dr Zaatir.

On Monday, the World Food Programme (WFP) said humanitarian access was improving across Gaza but stressed that access to the north must be swiftly reinstated.

The WFP emphasised that a ceasefire is essential to deliver adequate food aid to the most vulnerable.

According to United Nations-backed experts, some 500,000 people in the Gaza City area have already been classified as being in famine.