Malnutrition in the Gaza Strip is one of the most important humanitarian and health challenges, as the food crisis is not limited to the lack of available food, but also includes the lack of food diversity and essential vitamins, which directly affects the health of children, women and the elderly.
Causes of malnutrition in Gaza
1. Blockade and food entry restrictions
The blockade of Gaza for more than a decade is a major cause of food shortages and malnutrition among the population. Border crossings, which are the main source of food entry, are subject to severe restrictions by the Israeli authorities, including frequent closures or partial openings. These restrictions severely limit the amount of trucks that can enter the Strip, and thus only a small percentage of the daily needs of the population.
In addition, restrictions are placed on the quality of food items allowed, with some essential items prohibited or subject to strict safety and security standards. For example, basic agricultural items, fresh foods, and even some important baby food products may be rejected or delayed for weeks before being allowed in.
Read more about the impact of the blockade on the Gaza Strip
2. Displacement and loss of shelter
As a result of raids and ongoing attacks on residential areas, thousands of residents are forced to flee their homes to safer areas or temporary camps. This displacement leaves families dependent on humanitarian assistance in new locations, often insufficient to cover all food needs. Access to markets or shops has become difficult, limiting families’ ability to provide balanced diets.
Many of the displaced live in overcrowded camps or shelters, where families are crowded into small spaces, and storage and preparation for food become difficult. This situation limits the possibility of preparing healthy meals and increases dependence on limited aid, often from non-diversified food items.
3. Health crisis and disease outbreaks
Gaza is suffering from a severe health crisis as a result of the ongoing blockade and repeated aggression against medical facilities. Many hospitals and health centers are overstretched due to lack of medicines, medical supplies and health staff. This shortage makes it difficult to care for children and pregnant and lactating women, and delays diagnosis and treatment of diseases, exacerbating malnutrition.
Lack of potable water and the shutdown of sewage treatment plants due to fuel shortages have led to the spread of infectious diseases such as diarrhea and gastrointestinal infections. These diseases directly affect the body’s ability to absorb essential nutrients, especially in children, increasing the risk of malnutrition and death among vulnerable groups.
Effects of malnutrition on children
1. Weakened immune system
Persistent nutrient deficiencies such as iron, zinc, and vitamin A make children's immune systems vulnerable, increasing susceptibility to infectious diseases such as respiratory infections and frequent diarrhea. This creates a dangerous cycle: the disease leads to anorexia and poor absorption of food, which increases malnutrition.
2. Increased mortality rates
In cases of severe malnutrition, especially in children under five, the risk of dying from complications from common diseases is high. The World Health Organization suggests that malnourished children are more likely to die than their healthy peers.
3. Long term health problems
Childhood malnutrition not only affects the early years, but also has long-lasting effects such as an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and osteoporosis in adulthood. It also affects future productivity, limiting the physical and mental abilities of individuals.
Malnutrition in children in Gaza is not only a lack of food, it is an integrated crisis affecting physical and mental development, public health, survival rates, and future capabilities. The persistence of this problem threatens an entire generation with irreparable health, educational, and social losses.
Read more about the humanitarian situation of children in Gaza
What is the malnutrition campaign in Gaza?
This humanitarian campaign aims to secure the costs of treatment for malnourished children in the Gaza Strip, and to provide direct support to families who are most in need and unable to meet their basic needs under the current circumstances. The ongoing crisis in the sector, characterized by severe food shortages, high prices and difficult access to food, has left many families unable to meet the health and food needs of their children.
The importance of this campaign is that early diagnosis and rapid intervention to treat malnutrition directly contribute to reducing serious health complications that children may experience, such as chronic diseases, poor physical and mental development, and permanent disabilities. The provision of appropriate treatment also enhances children's chances of survival and protects them from the cycle of disease and poverty, which increases in severity as the blockade and difficult humanitarian conditions persist.
The campaign’s role is not only to provide medical treatment, but also to provide psychosocial support to affected families and raise community awareness of the importance of proper nutrition for children, as one of the fundamental foundations to ensure a better and safer future for future generations.
