intensifying Israel-Iran conflict: UNICEF alarms over surging malnourished children in Gaza, with at least 66 children dead from malnutrition
In a damning statement, officials in Gaza have announced that at least 66 children have succumbed to malnutrition in the span of Israel's military actions, blaming the tightened Israeli siege for barring essential supplies such as milk, nutritional supplements, and food aid. This comes as Israel ramps up attacks, killing at least 60 Palestinians, including 20 in the Tuffah neighborhood of Gaza City.
The Gaza Government Media Office's revelation on Saturday brands Israel's blockade as a horrific "war crime," highlighting its intention to use starvation as a deadly weapon against civilians. The office ferociously condemned this continuous atrocity against Gaza's children and the deafening international silence, as these innocent lives are left to suffer from hunger, disease, and slow death. Furthermore, they hold Israel and its allies, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, accountable for this catastrophe. Urging the United Nations for immediate intervention to open Gaza's crossings, they claim these countries are deeply responsible for this calamity.
This tragic situation follows a UNICEF warning about the rapidly increasing number of malnourished children in Gaza. From the start of the year through the end of May, 16,736 children - an average of 112 per day - have been admitted for treatment for malnutrition. Edouard Beigbeder, UNICEF's regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, declared that each case is avoidable and that the food, water, and nutrition treatments these children desperately need are being prevented from reaching them.
The bombings in Tuffah followed a striking illustration of the dire circumstances, with air raids on tents housing displaced people in Gaza City resulting in at least 13 deaths, including several children. In the heart of Gaza City, more than 20 people lost their lives as a result of two consecutive Israeli strikes on residential buildings in the Tuffah neighborhood. The area's residents continue to search for survivors amid terrifying destruction.
"We were enjoying a peaceful moment when we received a strange call urging us to evacuate the entire block immediately - a residential neighborhood belonging to the al-Nakhalah family," shared Mahmoud al-Nakhala with Al Jazeera. "This entire block is nearly wiped out, and we don't know why they targeted it... It is heart-wrenching to witness the suffering, the massacres, and the silence from those who could help."
These attacks on food distribution points and civilians have led aid groups to condemn the actions of the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). With over 550 Palestinians killed near GHF sites since the controversial group began operations on May 19, Israel continues to place severe restrictions on aid distribution from other groups.
The GHF remains the primary source of food and essential supplies in the Gaza Strip. Given the dangerous conditions surrounding the group's centers, many people try to avoid them, but the lack of food aid forces them to take the risk. Chris Doyle, the director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding, described the ongoing situation in Gaza as an "abomination and utter disgrace," denouncing the GHF's operations as a violation of all the principles of humanitarianism.
"This is another egregious example of Israel's flouting of international law, enjoying total impunity, and treating food aid as a weapon," says Doyle. "The international community must take immediate action to address this crisis and restore proper systems for the distribution and delivery of aid to ensure the survival of innocent Gaza residents, particularly children."
- The damning statement from officials in Gaza about the malnutrition deaths among children has been labeled as "breaking news," shedding light on the ongoing war-and-conflicts in the region.
- In the realm of health-and-wellness, the Gaza Government Media Office, in their statement, accused Israel of committing a war crime by intentionally using starvation as a weapon, a grave violation of human rights.
- Simultaneously, news in the field of fitness-and-exercise and nutrition has highlighted the plight of children in Gaza, with UNICEF reporting an alarming rise in malnourished children, emphasizing the necessity of urgent aid and supply of essential nutritional supplements.
- The political landscape has been shaken by the ongoing crisis, with aid groups condemning the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and Israel for hindering aid distribution, and the United Nations being urged for immediate intervention to uphold general-news principles of humanitarianism and justice.
