**Acute Malnutrition Crisis in Gaza: Children Bear the Brunt, ICRC Warns**
In a harrowing update from Gaza, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has revealed a catastrophic surge in acute malnutrition affecting the region’s children. Since the outbreak of conflict, 66 children have tragically succumbed to malnutrition, with at least 120 infants diagnosed daily with severe hunger-related conditions. May alone saw 5,000 children aged six months to five years treated for malnutrition, underscoring the dire state of public health in the besieged enclave.
Hasham Mahana, spokesperson for the ICRC, highlighted the alarming situation during a live interview, stating that the ongoing blockade has effectively weaponized starvation, exacerbating the crisis. Health facilities are overwhelmed, with the ICRC’s field hospital in Rafa operating at double its capacity due to a relentless influx of casualties from ongoing hostilities. The healthcare system is on the brink of collapse, with critical shortages of medical supplies, fuel, and electricity threatening life-saving services.
Worsening the crisis, only 40% of Gaza’s drinking water production facilities are operational, leading to severe shortages and a rise in waterborne diseases. The UN estimates that over 684,000 people have been displaced, forced into makeshift shelters with no sanitation or basic necessities.
Mahana warned that without immediate humanitarian aid, including fuel, hospitals may soon be unable to function, leading to preventable deaths. The situation is deteriorating rapidly, with explosions shaking the region daily, leaving families in a state of chaos and despair. As the world watches, the children of Gaza are paying the highest price in this unfolding tragedy.
Urgent action is needed now to avert further catastrophe in Gaza.