Gaza is suffering the world’s worst current hunger crisis. At least 15 children have now died from starvation in Gaza.
A photo of Yazan al-Kafarneh, a severely malnutrition 10-year-old Palestinian boy who had cerebral palsy, has been going viral online.
He had been receiving treatment at a hospital in Rafah, but died of severe malnourishment on March 4.
Yezen Al-Kfarna, a 10 year old Palestinian boy who suffers malnourishment due to the ongoing Israeli blockade receives medical treatment with limited resources at Abu Yusuf al-Najjar Hospital in Rafah, Gaza. (Photo by Jehad Alshrafi/Anadolu via Getty Images)
After declaring war on Hamas on Oct. 7, Israel has imposed a “total siege” of Gaza, blocking food, fuel and water from entering.
Dead body of 10-year-old Palestinian child Yazan al-Kafarneh, who died from severe hunger amid famine due to Israel’s ongoing crippling siege on the Gaza Strip. (Photo by Rabie Abu Noqaira/Anadolu via Getty Images)
This has pushed a quarter of Gaza’s population on the brink of famine, according to the United Nations.
A Palestinian child who took refuge in Rafah city due to Israeli attacks is trying to feed herself with distributed food by charitable organizations as Palestinians struggle to obtain many vital needs. (Photo by Abed Zagout/Anadolu via Getty Images)
On March 4, after five months, the World Health Organization was finally allowed to enter the north of Gaza, which has been almost completely cut off from aid for weeks.
Palestinian people with empty pots receive food distributed by charity as Gaza faces hunger crisis as situation worsens amid blockade due to the ongoing Israeli offensive on February 29, 2024. (Photo by Ali Jadallah/Anadolu via Getty Images)
The director of the WHO said people were facing severe levels of malnutrition, as well as serious shortages of fuel, food and medical supplies.
Palestinian children are seen as they wait in front of a boiler amid steam to receive hot food distributed by charitables and charity organization in Gaza City, Gaza. (Photo by Omar Qattaa/Anadolu via Getty Images)
The WHO said 90% of children under the age of 2 and 95% of pregnant and breastfeeding women are not getting enough food.
A salvages a bag of flour from a damaged house, following overnight Israeli bombardment in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. (Photo by SAID KHATIB / AFP)
95% of households are having to limit meals and portion sizes, with most families eating only one meal a day.
Palestinian children suffering from malnutrition receive treatment at a healthcare center in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. (Photo by MOHAMMED ABED / AFP)
Over 95% of families said they are restricting the amount of food adults eat so that children have food to eat.
A Palestinian girl eats soup as Palestinian children wait in line to get food for their families, distributed by charitable organizations in Rafah, Gaza. (Photo by Jehad Alshrafi/Anadolu via Getty Images)
The WHO has warned that 1 in 6 children under the age of 2 in northern Gaza are suffering from acute malnutrition.
Oweida family eat cactus leaves as they struggle to find food due to ongoing Israeli blockade as they take refuge in a UNRWA school, seeking safety amid Israeli attacks in Beit Lahia, Gaza. (Photo by Mahmud Isa/Anadolu via Getty Images)
And almost 3% of them are suffering from “severe wasting”, when the body becomes emaciated.
Young children suffering from wasting are at the highest risk of medical complications and death unless they receive urgent treatment, according to the WHO.
Yezen Al-Kfarna, a 10 year old Palestinian boy who suffers malnourishment due to the ongoing Israeli blockade receives medical treatment with limited resources at Abu Yusuf al-Najjar Hospital in Rafah, Gaza. (Photo by Jehad Alshrafi/Anadolu via Getty Images)
The WHO said that the data was from January so the situation is most likely worse now.
The situation is so bad that the US, UK, France, Egypt and Jordan have started airdropping humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Mother Neda Abdel Salam (R) prepares soup with flour and water for her 10-member Palestinian family, who takes refuge at a makeshift tent in Deir Al Balah, Gaza. (Photo by Doaa Albaz/Anadolu via Getty Images)
However, aid agencies have said airdrops are an inefficient way of getting supplies to people, and the supplies being dropped are not nearly enough for the needs of the population.
This image grab from an AFPTV video shows Palestinians running toward parachutes attached to food parcels, airdropped from US aircrafts on a beach in the Gaza Strip on March 2, 2024. (Photo by AFP)
More than 30,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed by Israel’s airstrikes and ground offensive since Oct. 7, with most of them being women and children.
A man is comforted by another man as people inspect the damage to their homes following Israeli air strikes. (Photo by Ahmad Hasaballah/Getty Images)
