A severe malnutrition crisis has claimed 33 lives in the Gaza Strip over the past 48 hours, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The deaths include 12 children and an additional 11 adults.
UN Secretary General António Guterres warned of a “soaring” malnutrition crisis, stating that “starvation is knocking on every door” in Gaza. He called for Israel to facilitate humanitarian assistance by the UN and its partners.
However, Israeli officials dispute this claim, accusing Hamas of conducting a false campaign regarding the humanitarian situation in Gaza. The Israeli military body responsible for coordinating aid deliveries, Cogat, insists that it acts in accordance with international law and ensures aid reaches the intended recipients without going to Hamas.
The World Food Programme (WFP) has reported a surge in malnutrition cases, with nearly one person in three not eating for days due to skyrocketing food prices. The WFP is calling for a “massive scale-up” in food aid distribution to address the crisis.
The US-based medical humanitarian group MedGlobal stated that its teams witnessed five severely malnourished children die within the past three days, describing the situation as a “deliberate and human-made disaster.”
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq8zlx8xwjno