Salim Oweis, a spokesman for the United Nations' Children's Fund (UNICEF), has warned that deadly malnutrition among the Gaza Strip's children has reached a catastrophic level.
In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Oweis noted that the number of children admitted for malnutrition has reached over 350 each day in July.
"We said before that the Gaza Strip has become a graveyard for children. We've said that Gaza is the most dangerous place for children. Unfortunately, that reality is even worse now. We are receiving reports of 80 children dying because of malnutrition since the beginning of the war. We are seeing rising rates of malnutrition, acute malnutrition, among children who are tested throughout the month, especially after the ceasefire. In only one month we received 6,500 children that were admitted to malnutrition treatment. That's in June. Unfortunately, those numbers have risen in the first two weeks of July to reach 5,000," said Oweis.
He noted that UNICEF has been providing malnutrition and therapeutic food during the war but warns supplies will run out by mid-August.
"UNICEF throughout the war and despite all the challenges has been responding with malnutrition treatment, therapeutic food, and preventive treatment. Unfortunately, the preventive food that we had has already run out. Now the therapeutic food is about to run out and it is only going to keep us going for a couple of weeks. We are expecting until mid-August," he said.
The war in Gaza has devastated education, leaving schools unusable and children without proper learning opportunities, severely impacting their future and well-being, he said.
"Violence in Gaza has disrupted education greatly. Unfortunately, there are not much opportunity for children to continue their education in the Gaza Strip while all the schools, all the educational system has collapsed. Schools are being used for shelter or have been destroyed or just inaccessible. UNICEF and partners have been trying to provide even the minimal level of education - the major four subjects, math, Arabic, English, and science. But this is not enough. Sadly, even if the war stops now, schools are not ready to receive children. And that will affect their future. That will affect their mental well-being, but also their prospects in life and in being a productive individual in the society," said Oweis.
Since Israel resumed its military operations in the enclave on March 18, at least 8,581 Palestinians had been killed and 32,436 others injured, bringing the total death toll since the outbreak of the current round of Israeli-Palestinian conflict in October 2023 to 59,733, and injuries to 144,477, Gaza-based health authorities said Saturday.
Deadly malnutrition among children in Gaza reaches catastrophic level: UNICEF spokesman
