Gaza's Silent Crisis: Famine Claims Lives of Young Children

The hospital’s pediatric ward struggles to care for malnourished children alongside those injured in bombings, with limited resources and space.

Gaza is witnessing a growing catastrophe as child malnutrition and dehydration claim more lives in the war-torn enclave. Unlike those killed in Israeli Occupation Forces’ merciless and relentless airstrikes, the victims of famine often go unnoticed, but their numbers are steadily rising.

Since the IOF launched its ongoing brutal Gaza campaign on October 7, doctors in the region have reported a surge in deaths among children due to malnutrition. The pediatric department at Kamal-Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza has recorded the deaths of 37 children from starvation and dehydration. Many of these young lives ended before they even had a chance to begin.

Among the tragic cases is Hatim Alhaddad, a newborn who died just one day after birth on June 14, succumbing to respiratory complications worsened by severe malnutrition. Another infant, Abdulaziz Abdulrahman Salem, only 15 days old, passed away on March 2, suffering from famine-induced edema.

The heartache continues with Mira Muhammad Bakr Al Shawa, who died on March 3 at just 15 days old, and Youssef Sami Al-Tiramisi, who lost his life on February 6 at only 25 days old.

Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, a pediatrician at Kamal-Adwan Hospital, describes the dire situation: “We see around thirty children daily showing signs of severe malnutrition and dehydration.” He recalls a particularly harrowing case in May, where a 7-year-old girl, who hadn’t eaten or drunk anything for five days, died despite their best efforts.

In southern Gaza, at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, the situation is equally grim. Three more children have died from malnutrition since May, including a 6-month-old girl named Toline. The hospital’s pediatric ward struggles to care for malnourished children alongside those injured in bombings, with limited resources and space.

The latest victim, Lina Cheikh Khalil, died on August 14 in central Gaza, bringing the total number of malnutrition-related deaths to 37. Lina’s uncle, Ali Cheikh Khalil, lamented the lack of care available due to the ongoing conflict and severe shortages of food, water, and medicine.

The silent genocide unfolding in Gaza underscores the urgent need for international intervention and humanitarian aid. As the conflict continues, the lives of countless children hang in the balance, their futures threatened by a crisis that demands immediate attention and action.