At least 66 children in Gaza have died from malnutrition amid Israel’s ongoing military assault and crippling blockade, authorities in Gaza announced Saturday. The figures highlight what local officials describe as a “deliberate war on Gaza’s childhood,” with the death toll rising amid severe restrictions on humanitarian aid, reported the Al Jazeera.
The Gaza Government Media Office strongly condemned the Israeli siege, which has blocked milk, nutritional supplements, and essential food supplies from entering the territory. In a statement, the office labeled the blockade a “war crime” and accused Israel of “using starvation as a weapon to exterminate civilians.”
“This is an ongoing crime against childhood in the Gaza Strip,” the statement read. “We are witnessing the slow death of innocent children, and the international community remains shamefully silent.”
The media office held Israel and its Western allies — including the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Germany — directly responsible for the humanitarian catastrophe. It called on the United Nations to intervene and ensure the immediate opening of Gaza’s border crossings for humanitarian relief.
The alarming situation in Gaza was also highlighted by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), which reported a sharp increase in malnutrition cases among children under five. According to UNICEF, 5,119 children were admitted for acute malnutrition treatment in May alone — a 50% increase from April and a 150% spike compared to February, when a temporary ceasefire allowed partial aid access.
Edouard Beigbede, UNICEF’s Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, said: “In just 150 days, from January through May, 16,736 children — an average of 112 children per day — were admitted for treatment for malnutrition in the Gaza Strip. Every one of these cases was preventable.”
Beigbede emphasized that the worsening crisis is the result of “man-made decisions” and urged Israeli authorities to “urgently allow the large-scale delivery of life-saving aid through all border crossings.”
Human rights organizations and medical experts have long warned that the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is deepening due to Israel’s blockade, ongoing military aggression, and restrictions on aid delivery.
As the war nears its tenth month, the human toll — especially on children — continues to mount, with no sign of international intervention strong enough to halt the devastation.
