UNICEF Warns: Over 320,000 Gaza Children Face Acute Malnutrition

What We Know

According to a statement released by UNICEF, the war in Gaza has pushed hundreds of thousands of children to the brink of starvation. As conflict and displacement continue, over 320,000 children under the age of five are now at risk of acute malnutrition. In Gaza City alone, malnutrition levels have surpassed 16.5%, reaching what UNICEF describes as “alarming.”

Since the truce collapsed in March, the humanitarian situation has worsened drastically. Nearly every child in Gaza has been displaced, many losing their homes, families, and access to essential services. The UN agency warns that infrastructure damage and restricted humanitarian access are making it increasingly difficult to deliver lifesaving aid.

One in three people in Gaza is now going days without a single meal, the agency reported. Humanitarian corridors remain blocked or unsafe, warehouses have been destroyed, and entire communities have been cut off from food, water, and medical assistance.

What They’re Saying

UNICEF emphasized its continued presence in the region, providing drinking water, urgent treatment for malnutrition, vaccines, and psychosocial support. However, with aid delivery routes decimated and danger on all sides, the organization admits its efforts are falling short of the vast need.

During the brief ceasefire earlier this year, aid reached more than 400 locations — directly helping children and pregnant women. But without a stable truce, even this limited success has become impossible to replicate.

The Bottom Line

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has escalated to a critical stage, particularly for its youngest residents. With over 50,000 children already killed or injured and more than 300,000 facing life-threatening malnutrition, UNICEF’s latest appeal paints a dire picture of what’s to come if aid access doesn’t improve.

The agency is urging the international community to step up support, both in funding and political will, to secure humanitarian corridors and ensure children trapped in Gaza are not left to starve.

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