At Least 66 Children Die from Malnutrition Amid Ongoing Israeli Siege in Gaza

At least 66 children in Gaza have died due to malnutrition, according to the Gaza Government Media Office. The authorities blame the crisis on Israel’s strict blockade, which has prevented the entry of milk, nutritious food, and humanitarian aid into the besieged enclave.

In an official statement, Gaza’s media office said that at least 60 Palestinians were killed on Saturday alone due to continued Israeli airstrikes, including 20 civilians in the Tuffah neighborhood of Gaza City.

The statement described Israel’s obstruction of food supplies as a war crime, accusing the Israeli military of employing starvation as a weapon of war and deliberately targeting civilians—especially children—through hunger.

The Gaza authorities also condemned the global silence, expressing frustration over the international community’s failure to act. “Children are being driven to death by hunger and disease, while world leaders remain silent spectators,” the statement said.

Gaza officials directly blamed Israel and its allies—including the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Germany—for the unfolding catastrophe. They called on the United Nations to immediately open border crossings and allow life-saving aid into Gaza.

Earlier, the UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) warned of a sharp increase in child malnutrition across Gaza. According to the agency, over 5,000 children aged between 6 months and 5 years received treatment for severe malnutrition in May alone.

UNICEF reported that the number of children hospitalized for malnutrition in May rose by nearly 50% compared to April, which had 3,444 cases. Compared to February, during a temporary ceasefire when aid delivery was more accessible, the number has surged by 150%.

Edouard Beigbeder, UNICEF’s Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, stated: “From the start of this year through the end of May—just 150 days—16,736 children received treatment for malnutrition. That’s an average of 112 affected children per day.”

He added: “This crisis is entirely preventable. The tragedy is not from lack of resources, but from deliberate obstruction. Denying children access to life-saving food, clean water, and nutrition is causing needless deaths. Israel must immediately open all border crossings to allow humanitarian aid in.”