A growing number of children in Gaza are facing extreme vulnerability due to acute malnutrition. According to a U.N.-backed report, approximately 132,000 children under the age of five are at risk of dying from malnutrition between now and next summer.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has left many children traumatized and forever changed by the ongoing conflict. Many have lost loved ones, homes, and even limbs due to airstrikes and bombings.
Maria Moath Rehaan, an 11-year-old girl who survived an Israeli strike that killed her family, is now struggling with physical and emotional scars. She dreams of becoming an eye doctor to heal children like her.
Dan Stewart, a spokesperson for Save the Children, described the situation as “unimaginable” and emphasized that many children are too sick and weak to cry due to malnutrition. The U.N. reports that over 17,000 Gazan children have been killed or wounded since the war began.
The crisis is further exacerbated by a critical shortage of food and water in Gaza City, where hunger and famine are widespread. Children are often forced to search for essential supplies, and those who survive may suffer from psychological trauma that can last a lifetime.
As the conflict continues to ravage Gaza, many children’s dreams of a normal childhood are being destroyed. The international community must take immediate action to address this humanitarian crisis and ensure that children in Gaza receive the care and support they desperately need.
Source: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/a-glimpse-of-life-in-gaza-through-the-voices-of-its-children