WHO WARNS of Famine – Children DYING Fast

Fifty-seven children have died of malnutrition in Gaza as a two-month blockade continues to choke off crucial food aid, with WHO warning tens of thousands more face imminent risk.

At a Glance

  • WHO reports 57 children have died from malnutrition in Gaza since the March 2nd blockade began
  • Nearly 71,000 children under five face acute malnutrition if conditions persist
  • Half a million people are at catastrophic levels of starvation among Gaza’s 2.1 million population
  • Israeli authorities’ aid plan is deemed “inadequate” by international health organizations
  • WHO has 31 aid trucks stalled in Egypt awaiting permission to enter Gaza

Children Dying as Aid Remains Minutes Away

The World Health Organization has confirmed that 57 children have died from malnutrition in Gaza since the implementation of a strict blockade on March 2, 2025. According to WHO officials, these deaths were entirely preventable. The crisis continues to worsen as food and essential medical supplies remain just minutes away across the border, unable to reach the starving population due to access restrictions. With over 2.1 million people facing prolonged food shortages, humanitarian organizations warn that the death toll will rise dramatically without immediate intervention.

International agencies report that three-quarters of Gaza’s population now face “Emergency” or “Catastrophic” levels of food deprivation. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification partnership has released findings showing nearly half a million people are in a catastrophic situation, facing starvation and imminent risk of death. Children, pregnant women, and nursing mothers are particularly vulnerable as malnutrition weakens immune systems and creates a dangerous cycle of worsening health conditions throughout the population. 

Tens of Thousands of Children at Immediate Risk

WHO projections paint a grim picture of what lies ahead if the blockade continues. Nearly 71,000 children under five are expected to become acutely malnourished in the next eleven months. Without immediate intervention, these children face potential long-term consequences including stunted growth, impaired cognitive development, and chronic health problems. Save the Children reports that over 93% of children in Gaza are at critical risk of famine, highlighting the unprecedented scale of the crisis affecting the youngest and most vulnerable members of society. 

The crisis is creating a particularly dangerous situation for infants as malnourished mothers struggle to produce nutritious breast milk. With clean water sources scarce and formula supplies limited, babies face severe nutritional deficits at a critical developmental stage. Healthcare workers report seeing increasing numbers of severely underweight infants arriving at the few functioning medical facilities, many too weak to cry and showing signs of advanced starvation. 

Healthcare System Collapse Compounds Crisis

The blockade has severely hampered WHO’s ability to support malnutrition treatment centers and the broader health system in Gaza. Thirty-one WHO aid trucks remain stalled in Egypt, with additional supplies waiting in the West Bank, all pending permission to enter Gaza. The Israeli airstrike on Nasser Medical Complex has further strained the region’s limited medical resources, leaving healthcare workers without essential medicines and supplies to treat the growing number of malnutrition cases.

The WHO and UN continue to call for unimpeded humanitarian access and adherence to global humanitarian principles. Dr. Rik Peeperkorn described the current Israeli authorities’ aid plan as “a fraction of the urgent need” for Gaza’s population. With vaccine coverage plummeting and limited access to clean water and sanitation, infectious diseases are spreading rapidly among the weakened population, particularly affecting children with severe acute malnutrition who require immediate treatment to survive.

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