RAMALLAH, April 16, 2025 (WAFA) - Doctors at hospitals run by ActionAid International's partner organization, the Community Return Association, in Gaza, reported a sharp increase in cases of severe malnutrition among pregnant and breastfeeding women, as well as young children, due to the ongoing complete blockade on aid entry and the depletion of remaining food supplies.
In a statement issued Wednesday, the organization explained that no food, clean water, medicine, or other essential supplies have entered Gaza for more than 45 days after Israeli authorities closed all border crossings and prevented the entry of all aid, amounting to collective punishment and starvation of the population.
It noted that people are suffering from hunger and their health is rapidly deteriorating due to the severe food shortages that have led to the closure of bakeries and community kitchens, and the emptying of most supplies in markets.
The statement cited the testimony of pediatrician Wissal Abu Laban, head of the therapeutic nutrition department at the Community Return Association and Hospital in Nuseirat, central Gaza, who said: "The impact on pregnant and breastfeeding women has been very clear."
She added, "We have noticed a very significant increase in the number of pregnant and lactating women suffering from severe and moderate malnutrition. This is all a result of the blockade over the past month and the closure of the crossings. They all suffer from anemia and iron deficiency due to a lack of food or nutritional supplements, which negatively affects pregnancy."
She pointed out that most babies are born with a low birth weight. Most of the cases we are seeing now... have babies with a low birth weight of less than 2.5 kilograms. Of course, there is a direct correlation between this and the pregnant mother's nutrition.
Abu Laban continued, "There are also cases of miscarriage and hemorrhage that occur in women due to anemia during pregnancy."
A recent survey conducted by the Nutrition Group found that "between 10% and 20% of pregnant and lactating women suffer from malnutrition, while a third of pregnant women in Gaza—an estimated 55,000—face high-risk pregnancies.
About 130 babies are born in Gaza every day, yet essential medical supplies—such as anesthesia for delivery, painkillers, antibiotics, and blood units needed for complicated cases—are running low, according to the World Health Organization.
Malnutrition among young children is also on the rise, with medical sources in Gaza estimating that some 60,000 children are at risk of serious health complications due to malnutrition. At the same time, access to treatment has become increasingly difficult, with UNICEF forced to close 21 of its nutrition centers due to Israeli shelling or forced eviction orders, cutting off treatment for hundreds of children.
“After more than six weeks of the deliberate and complete blockade of aid to Gaza, the consequences of this unlawful and horrific decision are becoming devastatingly clear,” said Reham Jafari, Communications and Advocacy Officer at ActionAid Palestine.
She added: "Severe malnutrition is on the rise among pregnant women—threatening their lives and the lives of their children—and among young children, with catastrophic, lifelong health consequences. Every day the blockade on aid continues, this humanitarian catastrophe worsens." She noted that "the time for condemnation is over. People in Gaza who have not been killed in the relentless daily bombardment now face the risk of starvation."
"The international community must act immediately to bring about a permanent end to this war, ensure the full withdrawal of the Israeli army from Gaza, as stipulated in the ceasefire agreement, and allow immediate and widespread access to life-saving aid to prevent the humanitarian catastrophe from worsening further."
K.T
