UNICEF spokesman James Elder warns that the number of children in Gaza facing dehydration and malnutrition will dramatically increase without a ceasefire.
An authority pointed out the tragic deaths of children due to dehydration and malnutrition, which UNICEF is currently observing in Gaza, as completely avoidable, caused by humans, and able to be stopped.
UNICEF Warns Rapid Increase in Gaza Child Deaths
Palestinian children queue to receive a portion of food at a make-shift charity kitchen in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, on November 8, 2023, amid the ongoing battles between Israel and the militant group Hamas.
Over the weekend, in response to the increasing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, the United States of America began the first extend of assistance airdrops into the region. While this was going on, the White House launched an appeal for a critical ceasefire in order to alleviate the grave situation that was occurring in the region.
Gaza's health ministry expressed deep concerns about the well-being of other children hospitalized due to malnutrition and dehydration. UNICEF's Regional Director in the Middle East, Adele Khodr, reported ten recent deaths and emphasized the severity of the situation. Ms. Khodr labeled these deaths as "man-made, predictable, and entirely preventable."
As part of a sustained effort to increase aid to Gaza, the US dropped approximately 38,000 meals into the embattled territory. Despite this move, critics argue that airdrops are merely symbolic. Janti Soeripto, the head of Save the Children, stated that opening crossings and facilitating the steady flow of supplies are more crucial. A call for an immediate ceasefire gained momentum when Vice President Kamala Harris urged for a swift resolution to the conflict, emphasizing the immense suffering in Gaza.
Alarming numbers were released by UNICEF, which indicated that over sixteen percent of children under the age of two in the northern part of Gaza are suffering from acute malnutrition. In Rafah, which is located in the southern part of Gaza, five percent of children are in a similar situation, according to Independent.
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Aid Impact on Gaza's Malnutrition Crisis
Ms. Khodr brought attention to the apparent discrepancy that is present between the north and the south, and she related it to assistance limits, which she asserts are causing people to lose their lives.
Malnutrition screenings conducted by UNICEF and the UN World Food Programme (WFP) in January further illuminated the severity of the crisis. In the north, one in six children aged two and under were found to be acutely malnourished. In the comparatively more accessible south, in Rafah, the figure stood at 5 percent.
Ms. Khodr stressed the need for humanitarian aid agencies, like UNICEF, to have multiple reliable entry points, ensuring the distribution of aid across Gaza without denials, delays, or access impediments. UNICEF has been sounding the alarm since October, warning of an exponential increase in the death toll in Gaza if the humanitarian crisis persisted. The situation has indeed worsened, and last week, the agency predicted a rapid surge in child deaths if the nutrition crisis remains unresolved.
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is in the vanguard of measures to prevent an impending disaster for the children of Gaza. As the world cautions, the pressure for a ceasefire and adequate emergency assistance is increasing, United Nation reported.
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