1. 2 million out of 2. 2 million Gaza residents faced severe food insecurity.
**
Prior to recent hostilities, about 1. 2 million out of Gaza’s 2. 2 million residents were experiencing severe food insecurity, with over 80% relying on humanitarian aid. Israel controls Gaza, limiting movement, goods, and critical resources like fuel and medicine for over 16 years. Despite international aid before October 7, malnutrition rates have spiked, particularly affecting children under five. The dire situation has resulted in children and pregnant women facing severe food poverty, elderly individuals experiencing hunger, and a collapsed healthcare system in Gaza. Starvation, worsened by Israeli restrictions, is causing long-lasting health consequences, particularly among vulnerable populations.
Before the recent outbreak of hostilities, approximately 1.2 million individuals out of Gaza’s total population of 2.2 million were estimated to be facing severe food insecurity. Additionally, over 80 percent of the population relied heavily on humanitarian aid for their survival. The Israeli government exerts significant control over the Gaza Strip, overseeing not only the movement of people and goods but also the management of territorial waters, airspace, and the critical infrastructure that the region depends on. This situation has resulted in an unlawful closure that has persisted for more than 16 years, rendering Gaza’s residents almost completely reliant on Israel for essential necessities such as fuel, electricity, medicine, and food.
Despite this dire situation, a significant volume of humanitarian assistance was reaching the people of Gaza prior to October 7. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), stated, “Before this crisis, there was enough food in Gaza to feed the population. Malnutrition was a rare occurrence. Now, people are dying, and many more are sick.”
The WHO has reported a concerning surge in malnutrition among children under the age of five, with the rates of acute malnourishment soaring from 0.8 percent before the outbreak of violence to between 12.4 and 16.5 percent in northern Gaza alone. Oxfam noted on April 3 that since January, individuals in northern Gaza have been surviving on an average of just 245 calories a day, which is alarmingly less than the caloric content found in a single can of fava beans.
According to a nutrition vulnerability analysis conducted in March by the Global Nutrition Cluster, a coalition of humanitarian organizations led by UNICEF, a staggering 90 percent of children aged 6 to 23 months, as well as pregnant and breastfeeding women across Gaza, are experiencing “severe food poverty.” Many of these individuals are subsisting on just two or fewer food groups each day.
Children who already have existing health conditions are particularly susceptible to the devastating consequences of malnutrition, which greatly diminishes their immune responses. Starvation, even for those who survive, can result in long-lasting effects, especially in young children, including stunted growth, cognitive impairments, and developmental delays.
The Health Ministry in Gaza announced on March 8 that around 60,000 pregnant women were suffering from malnutrition, dehydration, and a lack of adequate healthcare. Poor nutrition during pregnancy poses significant risks to both the mother and the unborn child, heightening the likelihood of miscarriages, fetal deaths, compromised immune system development, adverse growth effects, and even maternal mortality.
Elderly individuals also face heightened risks of malnutrition, which can lead to increased mortality rates among those suffering from acute or chronic illnesses. HelpAge International reported that even before the recent escalation in violence, 45 percent of older adults in Gaza were going to bed hungry at least once a week, with 6 percent reporting hunger every night.
The severe impact of the Israeli government’s strategy of using starvation as a weapon of war is further exacerbated by the near-total collapse of the healthcare system in Gaza. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), out of Gaza’s 36 hospitals, only 10 are operational, and none are functioning at full capacity. This deterioration is a result of repeated and apparently unlawful attacks by the Israeli military on medical facilities, personnel, and transport, coupled with stringent restrictions on the entry of fuel and other critical supplies.
