Aug 18, 09:10 AM

Malnutrition Deaths in Gaza Exceed 260 Including 107 Children; 40,000 Severely Malnourished, UNRWA Urges UN-Led Aid Amid Evacuation Orders

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has intensified, with malnutrition-related deaths among infants and children rising sharply. Two babies aged three and five months recently died from malnutrition, bringing the total starvation-related deaths to over 260, including at least 107 children. The Gaza government reports that around 40,000 children suffer from severe malnutrition, with many at risk of gradual death amid worsening conditions. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has highlighted the systematic destruction of Palestinian families due to hunger, despite some aid being allowed in, hindered by unsafe access routes. UNRWA criticized attempts to replace its aid system with the politically motivated Gaza Foundation, describing the current Israeli-American aid system as dehumanizing and chaotic. It called for a unified coordination and distribution system led by the United Nations in accordance with international humanitarian law. Journalists report that Israeli evacuation orders leave no safe shelters available in Gaza, forcing children to queue for food with empty bowls. UNICEF emphasized that children in Gaza face constant danger, being killed or injured while in shelters, playing, seeking food, or medical help as violence continues and aid remains insufficient.