Children are experiencing a critical death toll and are at high risk of acute malnutrition in Gaza, according to UNICEF's statement of condemnation. Over 320,000 children are in danger.
The ongoing conflict in Gaza is causing a surge in child deaths and a high risk of acute malnutrition among children. According to UNICEF, 320,000 children are currently at risk of acute malnutrition, with 18,000 child deaths reported since the start of the war.
Since April 2025, child deaths from malnutrition have increased by 54%, with over 80 children dying, most due to starvation and related causes amid the war conditions. Acute malnutrition rates among children have surged, with over 6,500 admitted for treatment in June and numbers rising in July.
The crisis is largely due to severe food insecurity, blocked humanitarian aid, the collapse of essential nutrition and health services, and ongoing conflict-related destruction. UN agencies warn that two out of three famine indicators—plummeting food consumption and acute malnutrition—have been met, with starvation-related deaths rising.
UNICEF calls for immediate and large-scale food and nutrition aid deliveries, safe water provision and access to therapeutic feeding programs for malnourished children, unhindered humanitarian corridors and aid access allowing rapid response, and restoration and support of essential nutrition and health services to treat and prevent malnutrition complications.
The urgent interventions are critical to prevent further mass starvation and child mortality in Gaza. UNICEF's recent statements and UN agency reports from mid-2025 detail the gravity of the situation and the need for action. The organisation has issued a warning about the unprecedented rate of child deaths in Gaza and expressed concern about the situation of children in the region.
References:
[1] UNICEF (2025). Gaza: Children at risk of malnutrition surge amid ongoing crisis. [Online] Available at: https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/gaza-children-risk-malnutrition-surge-amid-ongoing-crisis
[2] OCHA (2025). Humanitarian Bulletin: Gaza Strip. [Online] Available at: https://ochaopt.org/content/humanitarian-bulletin-gaza-strip-26-june-2025
[3] WHO (2025). Gaza Strip: Health Cluster Situation Report No. 11. [Online] Available at: https://www.who.int/emergencies/gaza/situation-reports/2025/gaza-strip-health-cluster-situation-report-no-11
[4] AP News (2025). UN warns of Gaza crisis, calls for urgent intervention. [Online] Available at: https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-gaza-strip-united-nations-health-children-conflict-325023a1448593094566d37a0d05e538
In the context of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, UNICEF has warned about an alarming increase in child deaths due to malnutrition, with a 54% surge since April 2025. Moreover, acute malnutrition rates among children have surged, necessitating immediate action in the fields of science, health-and-wellness, and nutrition to provide food and nutrition aid, safe water, and access to therapeutic feeding programs.
