Staff Reporter

The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed a surge in hunger-related fatalities in the Gaza Strip, reporting 400 verified deaths linked to malnutrition in 2025 alone, including 101 children.

The toll shows a deepening humanitarian crisis as the scarcity of food and specialized medical supplies pushes Gaza’s fragile health system to the brink of collapse.

Of the child deaths, 80 were under the age of five, showing the severe and disproportionate impact of the food crisis on the youngest and most vulnerable population.

A UN-backed panel, has already confirmed famine conditions in the Gaza governorate, with projections for the crisis to spread to other areas.

The head of the Department of Therapeutic Nutrition, Dr. Rana Abu Zaatir, warned of a looming real disaster if aid blockages and commodity price hikes continue.

“We are in constant need of larger quantities of specialized nutritional supplements for young children, as well as pregnant and lactating women,” Dr. Abu Zaatir said, emphasizing that malnutrition creates a vicious cycle.

The WHO reports that only four specialized malnutrition stabilization centers remain operational across the Gaza Strip, and they are overwhelmed.