The number of children suffering from malnutrition in the Gaza Strip increases

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned on Saturday of a serious deterioration in the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip as the number of children receiving treatment for malnutrition has increased.

According to a statement from the UN office, the number of children receiving treatment for malnutrition has risen to 3,600, compared to only 2,000 children last month.

This worsening situation comes amid the ongoing complete Israeli closure of the Strip since March 2, which has halted the entry of food and humanitarian aid. Mothers and children in Gaza face daily suffering due to a severe shortage of basic supplies, while displaced families in temporary displacement camps in Khan Yunis suffer from a severe shortage of food and clean water, which has led to the spread of diseases among children.

OCHA spokesperson in Gaza, Olga Cherevko, said that efforts to alleviate the malnutrition crisis are insufficient without addressing its root causes.

She stressed the need to reopen the crossings and improve living conditions to provide adequate food for the population. Cherevko warned that the continued closure of the crossings for the seventh consecutive week is exacerbating malnutrition rates, especially among children, and threatens the collapse of life-saving services.

She noted that the situation has become extremely urgent, calling for immediate action to avoid a greater humanitarian catastrophe.