Gaza Doctors Assess Children for Malnutrition, Reports Reuters

By Ibraheem Abu Mustafa

RAFAH, Gaza Strip – Medical professionals are measuring the upper arms of young children in a tent in Rafah, checking for signs of malnutrition as a hunger crisis intensifies in Gaza following months of military actions.

One two-and-a-half-year-old girl, with arms that have already begun to sag, has seen her weight drop from 11 kg before the conflict to just 7 kg now, according to her mother, Hana Tabash.

Recent data from measurements conducted across Gaza indicates that 5% of children under five are now acutely malnourished, according to information released by the U.N. humanitarian office.

Dr. Muhammed Abu Sultan, a member of the Medglobal Team associated with the U.N. children’s agency UNICEF, pointed out that poor health conditions and insufficient food supply are contributing to the widespread malnutrition epidemic in the region.

Aid organizations have criticized Israel for obstructing humanitarian aid deliveries into Gaza, claiming the military has restricted aid distribution outside the southern areas around Rafah. They suggest the situation is likely more severe in northern regions, which are harder to access.

Israel, however, has denied any restrictions on humanitarian aid and attributes these issues to the United Nations’ distribution capabilities.

Tabash mentioned that her daughter was already underweight before the outbreak of conflict, but after the family fled their home in Khan Younis and became displaced in Rafah—where approximately a million people are living in makeshift shelters—her condition worsened.

"I used to provide her with medical treatments and supplements, but now I cannot find solutions for her," Tabash said, noting that her daughter is experiencing developmental delays.

The conflict began on October 7, when Hamas fighters breached border defenses into southern Israel, resulting in the deaths of around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and the kidnapping of 253 individuals, according to Israeli sources. Israel’s military response has since led to more than 28,500 deaths, primarily among civilians in Gaza, according to health officials in the region.

Ammar Ammar, UNICEF’s regional communications head based in Jordan, reported that in the coming weeks, over 10,000 children in Gaza could be at risk of malnutrition, a crisis worsened by the lack of clean drinking water.

Ammar emphasized the long-term repercussions of malnutrition, stating, "There is also a direct impact in terms of physical development, cognitive ability, school performance, and productivity later in life."