Washington, DC, 22 May 2025 —
Israel’s War in Gaza is using starvation as a weapon of war. The combination of sustained military operations and an ongoing blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt since 2007 has escalated to a full-blown public health disaster, leaving over 2 million residents facing unprecedented levels of acute malnutrition, the devastating collapse of the health system, and a surge in preventable diseases threatening the lives of hundreds of thousands, especially children.
Deepening Malnutrition Crisis
Malnutrition in Gaza has reached unprecedented levels. It is not just a matter of food scarcity; it’s about the inability to access safe, nutritious, and sufficient food. According to humanitarian organizations operating in the region, more than half of Gaza’s population is food insecure. Children bear the brunt of this crisis.
In northern Gaza, acute malnutrition among children under two had doubled in just one month, with one in three children affected. Severe acute malnutrition (SAM), which poses an immediate risk of death, is increasingly common. Malnutrition during early childhood can have irreversible effects on cognitive and physical development, increasing the likelihood of chronic diseases, poor educational outcomes, and reduced life expectancy.
UNICEF and other agencies have reported rising rates of stunting (impaired growth and development due to chronic malnutrition), wasting (rapid weight loss and muscle wasting), and micronutrient deficiencies. Infants and young children are especially vulnerable due to the lack of access to adequate breastfeeding, formula, clean water, and nutrient-rich foods.
Iron deficiency anemia is prevalent, particularly among children under five and pregnant women. This condition weakens the immune system, impairs cognitive development, and increases the risk of complications during childbirth. Without immediate and sustained interventions, the long-term effects on public health and education in Gaza will be catastrophic.
The situation is further compounded by a surge in infectious diseases. Over 100,000 cases of diarrhea have been reported since mid-October, with half of these cases among children under five. Additionally, there have been numerous cases of upper respiratory infections, meningitis, and other preventable diseases. The lack of adequate nutrition weakens the immune system, making children more susceptible to these illnesses.
Dire Humanitarian Situation
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 93% of Gaza’s population is experiencing crisis-level hunger, with at least one in four households facing catastrophic conditions. This dire humanitarian situation is exacerbated by the ongoing blockade, which has severely restricted the flow of essential supplies, including food, fuel, and medical resources. As a result, community kitchens and hospitals are shutting down, and aid organizations are struggling to meet the overwhelming needs of the population.
Many have lost parents, homes, and access to school and healthcare. Psychological trauma, coupled with physical deprivation, has created a generation at risk of long-term developmental damage. International organizations such as UNICEF and the WHO have issued repeated warnings that Gaza children are facing a “critical and deteriorating” situation. Without immediate intervention, many may not survive.
Healthcare System Collapse
Gaza’s healthcare system is on the verge of collapse. Hospitals and clinics, already strained by years of underfunding and blockade, are now overwhelmed by the surge of war casualties, trauma injuries, and illnesses exacerbated by poor living conditions.
Aside from the fact that the entire health infrastructure has been bombed into dysfunction, it is also crippled by a severe lack of resources, medical supplies, and personnel. The loss of approximately 1,000 health workers since October 2023 has further compromised the territory’s ability to respond to the escalating health crisis. Fuel shortages have led to electricity cuts, forcing hospitals to shut down critical services. By October 2024, more than half of Gaza’s hospitals had ceased operations, and the remaining facilities were operating at partial capacity.
The siege at Al-Shifa Hospital, Gaza’s largest medical facility, highlights the severity of the situation. The hospital has been running out of essential supplies, including electricity and medical equipment, leading to preventable deaths among patients. In November 2023, the last generator ran out of fuel, resulting in the deaths of three premature infants and four other patients. The hospital had no antibiotics, anesthesia, or pain medicines to treat its patients.
Doctors and aid workers describe dire conditions: operating rooms lit by mobile phones, surgeries performed without proper anesthesia, and patients dying due to a lack of essential medications. The spread of infectious diseases such as diarrhea, respiratory infections, and skin conditions is rampant in overcrowded shelters and refugee camps, where clean water and sanitation are limited.
International Response and Challenges
Humanitarian access to Gaza remains severely restricted. Aid convoys are subject to delays, limitations, or denial of entry by Israeli authorities. Despite repeated calls for ceasefires and humanitarian corridors, political and military obstacles continue to hamper relief efforts. No aid has been allowed to enter the enclave since March 2025, despite aid trucks loaded and ready to deliver life-saving relief for 200,000 people for an entire month. International aid organizations are calling for immediate and unrestricted access to Gaza to alleviate the suffering of its residents.
Although Israel has allowed a trickle of aid to begin moving this week, the amount is grossly insufficient to meet the needs of the population. The lack of a sustained, protected humanitarian access framework means that civilians are often left without the help they desperately need. The UN has warned that without a significant increase in aid, Gaza is at risk of a full-scale famine. However, aid alone cannot address the root causes of malnutrition in Gaza.
A long-term resolution requires political will to lift the blockade and allow for the free movement of people and goods, the reconstruction of critical infrastructure, and the revival of Gaza’s economy. Without such steps, humanitarian aid will remain a temporary patch on a deep and worsening wound.
Photo Credit: palestine-gaza-good-aid-nuseirat-april-2025-eyad-baba-afp by coolloud. Licensed under CC BY NC ND 2.0
Lara Kajs is the founder and executive director of The Genocide Report, an NGO nonprofit organization in Washington, DC. She is the author of Assad’s Syria, and Stories from Yemen: A Diary from the Field, available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Apple Books, and independent bookstores worldwide. Distributed by Ingram. Ms. Kajs frequently speaks about atrocity crimes, forced displacement, state terrorism, and International Humanitarian Law (IHL). Follow and connect with Lara Kajs on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and Bluesky.