"Despair looms among healthcare professionals and humanitarian workers, as they witness the grim reality of the hunger crisis unfolding in Gaza"
In the midst of the Israel-Hamas conflict, Gaza is facing a severe malnutrition crisis, with over 320,000 children under the age of 5 at risk of acute malnutrition and thousands already severely malnourished. This crisis is part of a broader humanitarian catastrophe, where nearly a quarter of Gaza’s population faces famine-like conditions.
The intensification of military operations since late 2023 has destroyed infrastructure and disrupted food supply chains, causing widespread food scarcity. Humanitarian aid delivery is extremely dangerous and limited due to ongoing attacks on aid convoys, looting, and crowd surges. As a result, one-third of the population experiences days without food.
The blockade restrictions, pre-existing poverty, and a militarized aid distribution system further exacerbate the crisis. The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is delivering food to 1.3 million people, but convoys face attacks, and humanitarian pauses and corridors are being negotiated.
The crisis has led to alarming statistics. On Thursday, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) reported that 25% of children and pregnant or breastfeeding women screened at clinics in Gaza are malnourished, and cases of severe malnutrition in children under the age of 5 have tripled in just two weeks. Over the last week, Alamrain, a resident of Gaza, has consumed between 700 and 1,400 calories per day, while his recommended number of calories per day is 2,500. As a result, he has lost 59.5 pounds since the war began in October 2023, and 17.6 pounds in the last two months.
The crisis is not limited to civilians. Aid organizations, including MSF, are reporting that their workers and medical staff are also struggling to obtain food. Kate Phillips-Barasso, vice president of global policy and advocacy at Mercy Corps, said many people in Gaza are going days at a time without eating at all.
Emergency departments of hospitals in Gaza have been overwhelmed with injuries since the war began, but over the last two weeks, they have also been overwhelmed with people reportedly injured while trying to get aid or collapsing from hunger. As of Thursday, 113 people have died of hunger since the war began on Oct. 7, 2023, with 81 of them being children.
The Israeli government denies limiting the amount of aid entering Gaza, claiming that Hamas steals aid meant for civilians. However, 950 humanitarian aid trucks are waiting at crossings, pending collection and distribution by United Nations agencies.
The State Department deputy spokesperson denied that Israel or the U.S. is weaponizing humanitarian aid. Mercy Corps was one of over 100 aid groups that issued a joint statement this week warning of "mass starvation" in Gaza.
Without an immediate ceasefire, safe humanitarian corridors, and massive aid surges, the situation will deteriorate further, making famine and irreversible consequences for children more widespread. The UN and agencies like WFP and UNICEF emphasize that urgent action is needed to prevent a catastrophic outcome for the people of Gaza.
| Aspect | Details | |-------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Scale | Over 320,000 children under 5 at risk of acute malnutrition; thousands severely malnourished; nearly 25% of population faces famine-like conditions | | Causes | Escalated military conflict since Oct 2023; destruction of infrastructure; food blockade; disruption of aid delivery; economic hardship | | Current Humanitarian Aid | WFP delivers some food to 1.3 million people, but convoys face attacks; humanitarian pauses and corridors being negotiated | | Risks | Hunger-related deaths rising rapidly; malnutrition-related deaths spiked in July 2025 |
- The malnutrition crisis in Gaza, affecting over 320,000 children under the age of 5, has tripled cases of severe malnutrition in just two weeks.
- The crisis has led to a situation where one-third of the population experiences days without food, and 113 people have died of hunger since the war began on Oct. 7, 2023, with 81 of them being children.
- Aid organizations like Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and Mercy Corps have reported that their workers and medical staff are also struggling to obtain food.
- The Israeli government denies limiting the amount of aid entering Gaza, yet 950 humanitarian aid trucks are waiting at crossings, pending collection and distribution by United Nations agencies.
- The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and agencies like UNICEF are emphasizing that urgent action is needed to prevent a catastrophic outcome for the people of Gaza, as the situation will deteriorate further without an immediate ceasefire, safe humanitarian corridors, and massive aid surges.
