The World Health Organisation has sounded the alarm over a worsening malnutrition crisis in the Gaza Strip, where a sharp spike in preventable deaths—especially among children—has underscored the dire impact of limited access to food, health care, and humanitarian aid.
WHO made this known in a statement via its official X account on Sunday.
“Of 74 malnutrition-related deaths in 2025, 63 occurred in July—including 24 children under five, a child over five, and 38 adults. Most of these people were declared dead on arrival at health facilities or died shortly after, their bodies showing clear signs of severe wasting.
“The crisis remains entirely preventable. Deliberate blocking and delay of large-scale food, health, and humanitarian aid has cost many lives”, the health agency’s statement began.
According to the UN health agency, acute malnutrition is surging among Gaza’s youngest, with nearly one in five children under five in Gaza City now affected.
It lamented that the situation has sharply deteriorated in just a matter of weeks.
“Nearly one in five children under five in #Gaza City is now acutely malnourished, as reported by Nutrition Cluster partners. Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM), which measures the percentage of children aged 6–59 months suffering from acute malnutrition, has tripled since June, making it the worst-hit area in the Gaza Strip.
“In Khan Younis and the Middle Area, rates have doubled in less than one month. These figures are likely an underestimation due to the severe access and security constraints preventing many families from reaching health facilities”, it lamented.
WHO also revealed that over 5,000 children under five were treated for malnutrition in the first two weeks of July alone, with nearly one in five suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition, the deadliest form of the condition.
It added, “So far in July, over 5,000 children under five have already been admitted for outpatient treatment of malnutrition in just the first two weeks, 18% of them with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), the most life-threatening form. This continues a significant rising trend since May, with 6500 children admitted for treatment in June, which is the highest number recorded since October 2023.”
The health system, already under enormous strain, is struggling to cope with the rising caseload. Only four specialised treatment centres for malnutrition exist in the entire Gaza Strip, and all are stretched beyond capacity.
“An additional 73 children with SAM and medical complications were hospitalized in July, compared to 39 in June, bringing total inpatient admissions in 2025 to 263.
“This surge in cases is overwhelming the only four specialised malnutrition treatment centres in the Gaza Strip, pushing an already fragile health system closer to collapse.
“All four centres are working beyond capacity, running low on fuel, with their supplies expected to run out by mid-next month.
