UN: Women and children in Gaza Malnourished

Gaza February 07, 2024 (SD) -The United Nations has reported that severe malnutrition among children, especially those under the age of five, and pregnant and breastfeeding women in Gaza, remains a “significant concern.”

The latest report from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) indicates that acute malnutrition has been observed in 9.6% of 3,500 children aged between 6 months and 5 years in Gaza, representing a two-fold increase compared to the levels before the October 7th attack.

In North Gaza, there was a 16.2% prevalence rate of severe malnutrition among children, exceeding the global emergency threshold of 15% set by the World Health Organization (WHO).

OCHA also noted that approximately 75% of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million people rely on humanitarian aid for essential food, water, electricity, and medical supplies.

The humanitarian crisis in Khan Younis has forced many people to migrate southward toward Rafah, where many live in makeshift shelters, tents, or abandoned buildings.

Only four out of 22 health facilities operated by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) are currently operational in Gaza due to the ongoing conflict-related damages inflicted by Israel and access restrictions imposed on certain areas,” the agency stated.