Palestinian boy, Osama Kamal Al Rakab, is struggling for survival, Khan Yunis, Gaza, April 14, 2025. (Photo by Anadolu Agency)
United Nations, June 9 (RHC)-- A spokesperson at the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned that Gaza’s malnourished children in hospitals may not survive next week due to the Israeli-imposed aid blockade, emphasizing that most children struggle to secure even one daily meal.
James Elder in an interview with the Sky News over the weekend highlighted the dire situation in Gaza by stating that most mothers in the region are forced to sacrifice their own food to ensure their children have something to eat.
“It is the worst time it has ever been for women and children here in Gaza,” he said.
“I see children in hospitals who will not be alive by next week based on the level of malnutrition and because supplies can’t get to them.
“Most mothers I speak to get a meal every other day because they sacrifice whatever food they’ve got for their children,” he added.
Elder recounted the horrifying consequences of the Israeli regime’s indiscriminate bombardment on children in Gaza, shedding light on the traumatic experiences of those who have suffered the loss of limbs as a result of the relentless attacks.
“What gets me this time is the screams in hospitals. I’ve seen a hundred children with amputations.”
According to UN-affiliated organizations and other humanitarian agencies, goods (food, fuel, medical supplies, and water) indispensable for people’s survival are either depleted or expected to run out in the coming days.
Aid organizations have repeatedly warned that if within the next few days, the Israeli-imposed blockade is not lifted, the entire population will plunge into a full-scale humanitarian catastrophe with thousands of children dying of famine.
According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), the entire Gaza population faces high levels of acute food insecurity, with half a million people (one in five) facing starvation.
“From 11 May to the end of September 2025, the whole territory is classified in Emergency (IPC Phase 4), with the entire population expected to face Crisis or worse acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above),” IPC said.
“This includes 470,000 people (22 percent of the population) in Catastrophe (IPC Phase 5), over a million people (54 percent) in Emergency (IPC Phase 4) and the remaining half million (24 percent) in Crisis (IPC Phase 3),” IPC added.
According to the statistics published by the Gaza Ministry of Health, since October 7, 2023, when the Israeli regime began its genocidal war on Gaza, it has killed nearly 55,000 Palestinians and wounded more than 126,000, most of whom are children and women.
