UNICEF warns of rising malnutrition among children, pregnant women in Gaza

Thousands of children have been admitted to hospitals in Gaza for treatment of severe malnutrition since the ceasefire in October, the United Nations children’s agency, UNICEF, said on Tuesday.

UNICEF reported that 9,300 children received treatment for severe malnutrition in October alone.

Speaking at a press conference in Geneva, UNICEF spokesperson Tess Ingram said that although this number is lower than the peak of more than 14,000 children in August, it remains much higher than the levels recorded during the short ceasefire in February and March. “It’s still a shockingly high number,” Ingram said, adding, “This shows that aid flows are still insufficient.”

Ingram added: “The situation is clear. Women suffering from malnutrition are giving birth to premature or low-weight babies who either die in intensive care units or survive but face malnutrition and health complications.”

She also said that in October, 8,300 women, including pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, received treatment for severe malnutrition – about 270 women per day in an area where no cases of maternal malnutrition were reported before October 2023.

“This pattern is a grave warning and it will likely result in low birthweight babies being born in the Gaza Strip for months to come,” Ingram alerted.

READ: Gaza Civil Defence continue the search for dead under rubble