The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached unprecedented levels, with alarming reports highlighting a dramatic increase in child malnutrition and widespread hunger among the population.

According to a recent statement by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), malnutrition cases among children in northern Gaza have surged by over 300% in July compared to May, as reported by the Agency on X (formerly Twitter).

This surge in malnutrition is a stark indicator of the deteriorating conditions in the region, where 96% of Gaza's population is now facing crisis levels of hunger. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) system, referenced by @theIPCinfo, underscores the dire situation, emphasizing the urgent need for international intervention.

Humanitarian organizations are calling for immediate action, including a significant increase in aid and an urgent ceasefire, to prevent further deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Gaza. The call for a #CeasefireNow echoes across international platforms, highlighting the critical need for coordinated global efforts to address the escalating crisis.

The recent deaths of more Palestinian children due to hunger and malnutrition leaves no doubt that famine has spread across the entire Gaza strip.

Fayez Ataya, who was barely six months old, died on 30 May 2024 and 13-year-old Abdulqader Al-Serhi died on 1 June 2024 at the Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir Al-Balah. Nine-year-old Ahmad Abu Reida died on 3 June 2024 in the tent sheltering his displaced family in Al-Mawasi, Khan Younis. All three children died from malnutrition and lack of access to adequate healthcare.

Independent experts and UN agencies have warned that with the death of these children from starvation despite medical treatment in central Gaza, there is no doubt that famine has spread from northern Gaza into central and southern Gaza.

The death of a child from malnutrition and dehydration indicates that health and social structures have been attacked and are critically weakened in the Israeli-blockaded Gaza Strip.