Gaza’s children are facing a catastrophic and rapidly worsening malnutrition crisis, with one in five children in Gaza City now suffering from severe malnutrition, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
Malnutrition in Gaza is devastating children’s lives.
In August, a record proportion of children screened were identified as acutely malnourished.
As UNICEF works to scale up the entry and distribution of nutrition supplies, nutrition services must be protected across Gaza.… pic.twitter.com/UXPRHwBF20
— UNICEF (@UNICEF) September 11, 2025
New data reveals that acute malnutrition rates among children in the Gaza Strip are increasing at an alarming rate. UNICEF reported that the percentage of children suffering from acute malnutrition surged to 13.5% in August, a sharp rise from 8.3% just one month earlier in July. The agency described the latest data as showing “an unprecedented rate.”
Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director, stated that these severely malnourished children require immediate, life-saving nutritional support. While UNICEF has been able to bring in more supplies, Russell warned that the crisis is being exacerbated by the military escalation, which has forced approximately 10 vital nutrition centers to close. “This has left children even more vulnerable,” she said.
The broader toll of the nearly 23-month of Israeli war on Gaza is staggering. Save the Children reported that the number of children killed by Israeli occupation forces has exceeded 20,000—a rate of at least one Palestinian child every hour.
Furthermore, the health consequences of hunger are mounting. According to the latest statistics from the Gaza Ministry of Health, deaths from starvation in the Strip have reached approximately 411, including 142 children.
Source: Agencies (translated and edited by Al-Manar English Website)
