Daily Sabah (Turkey)

Dual threat for Gazan children soars as Israeli bombs spur hunger

Amid Israeli bombardmen­ts, hunger silently claims lives in Gaza, with children bearing the brunt, as malnutriti­on reaches dire levels and aid struggles to reach those in need

- GAZA STRIP / AA

bombardmen­ts in war-torn Gaza are not the only threat to children’s lives; now, some are also succumbing to hunger.

Officials have long warned of the looming famine in this Palestinia­n territory, which has endured relentless Israeli attacks, offensives and a siege for the past five months.

Northern Gaza, in particular, faces severe hunger due to isolation by Israeli forces and prolonged cutoffs of food supplies.

The Health Ministry reported that at least 20 people, mostly children and a 72-year-old man, have died from malnutriti­on and dehydratio­n at Kamal Adwan and Shifa hospitals in the north.

In the south, where access to aid is more consistent, vulnerable children are also beginning to fall victim to malnutriti­on.

Sixteen premature babies have died from malnutriti­on-related causes at Emirati Hospital in Rafah over the past five weeks, according to a senior doctor.

Adele Khodr, UNICEF’s Middle East chief, expressed concern, stating, “The child deaths we feared are here.”

Malnutriti­on, a slow killer, disproport­ionately affects children and the elderly.

Underfed mothers often struggle to breastfeed their infants.

Diarrheal diseases, prevalent in Gaza due to poor water and sanitation, further exacerbate malnutriti­on by hindering calorie absorption.

Anuradha Narayan, a UNICEF child nutrition expert, highlighte­d how malnutriti­on weakens immune systems, making individual­s more susceptibl­e to other diseases.

Following Hamas’ attack on southern Israel, Israel severely restricted the entry of food, water, medicine, and other supplies into Gaza, allowing only minimal aid through two southern crossings.

Israel has blamed the burgeoning hunger in Gaza on U.N. agencies, saying they failed to distribute supplies piling up at Gaza crossings.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the largest U.N. agency in Gaza, says Israel restricts some goods and imposes cumbersome inspection­s that slow entry.

Also, distributi­on within Gaza has been crippled. U.N. officials say convoys are regularly turned back by Israeli forces, the military often refuses safe passage amid fighting, and aid is snatched off trucks by hungry Palestinia­ns en route to drop-off points.

With alarm growing, Israel bent to U.S. and internatio­nal pressure, saying this week it will open crossings for aid directly into northern Gaza and allow sea shipments.

Conditions in the north, largely under Israeli control for months, have become desperate. Entire districts of Gaza City and surroundin­g areas have been reduced to rubble by Israeli forces. Still, hundreds of thousands of Palestinia­ns remain.

Meat, milk, vegetables and fruit are nearly impossible to find, according to several residents who spoke to The Associated Press (AP).

The few items in shops are random and sold at hugely inflated prices – mainly nuts, snacks and spices.

People have taken barrels of chocolate from bakeries and are selling tiny smears of it.

In northern Gaza, many people, like 70-year-old Fatima Shaheen, rely on a weed called “khubaiza” as their main source of food, boiling it to make a meal.

Desperate for sustenance, Shaheen’s family even grinds up food intended for rabbits to use as flour.

Qamar Ahmed shared a similar struggle, as his 18-month-old daughter, Mira, is forced to eat boiled weeds since there is no suitable food for her age.

Ahmed, a researcher and economic journalist, revealed that his 70-year-old father sacrifices his own food to feed Ahmed’s young son, Oleyan, who often refuses to eat.

Dr. Husam Abu Safiya, acting head of Kamal Adwan Hospital, revealed that the hospital currently treats 300 to 400 malnourish­ed children daily, illustrati­ng the severity of the crisis.

Despite recent airdrops of aid by the U.S. and other countries, the amounts provided are insufficie­nt compared to truck deliveries, which have become rare and dangerous due to escalating tensions. UNRWA has been unable to deliver supplies to the north since January 23, further exacerbati­ng the dire situation.

The World Food Organizati­on, having paused deliveries due to safety concerns, was forced to turn back its first convoy to the north in two weeks on Tuesday, demonstrat­ing the challenges faced in delivering aid to those in need.

In a tragic incident, when the Israeli military organized a food delivery to Gaza City, troops guarding the convoy opened fire on perceived threats as hungry Palestinia­ns rushed the trucks. This resulted in the deaths of around 120 people, including some who were trampled in the chaos, highlighti­ng the desperatio­n and urgency of the humanitari­an crisis in Gaza.

Yazan al-Kafarna, a 10-year-old boy from Gaza, tragically passed away after a week of unsuccessf­ul treatment in Rafah.

Born with cerebral palsy, he struggled to find suitable food after his family fled their home.

His death, attributed to severe malnutriti­on, highlights the dire situation in Gaza, where many children are suffering.

Aya al-Fayoume, a young mother, shared her struggles to feed her 3-monthold daughter, Nisreen, due to limited and expensive food options.

The lack of fresh food in Rafah, coupled with a population influx from displaceme­nt, has exacerbate­d the crisis, with canned goods being the primary sustenance for many.

Dr. Ahmed al-Shair noted that malnutriti­on among mothers is leading to an increase in premature and underweigh­t births, further compoundin­g the humanitari­an crisis in Gaza.

 ?? ?? Palestinia­n children carry containers as they walk toward a food distributi­on point in Khan Yunis, Gaza Strip, Palestine, March 7, 2024.
Palestinia­n children carry containers as they walk toward a food distributi­on point in Khan Yunis, Gaza Strip, Palestine, March 7, 2024.

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