New data confirms famine in Gaza Governorate and warns this is likely to spread in the coming weeks. We are seeing a rising number of malnourished mothers and children at our clinics. Israel must end this man-made disaster for children now.
Radwa*, 30, holds her one-year-old daughter Besma*. Besma is suffering from malnutrition, which has been made worse by the ongoing war in Gaza.
children in gaza
Famine is now confirmed
The world has been watching as children have suffered the unthinkable for nearly two years in Gaza, and now, we have confirmation that hundreds of thousands are being slowly starved to death. This engineered famine is the ultimate and inevitable result of the Government of Israel’s use of starvation as a weapon of war. The sustained siege on food, medicine and fuel was bound to lead to this preventable catastrophe. Israel could end the food shortages whenever they choose and stop famine from spreading to other parts of Gaza.
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Save the Children in gaza
We have 160 staff workers deployed around the clock, operating two primary health care clinics, offering psychosocial support and setting up child-friendly spaces. Save the Children trucks filled with lifesaving relief supplies are at the border, waiting to be let in.
«Famine means there are no more breaking points and no more alarm bells. Many effects of famine cannot be reversed, especially for children. The death and loss, the physical and mental harm, will last lifetimes and even generations. We call on the Israeli government to end the use of starvation as a weapon of war and lift the siege of the Gaza Strip, allowing aid including food and nutrition supplies into Gaza at the scale required. And the international community must finally take every possible step to stop the Government of Israel from intentionally starving children and families in Gaza», says Adrian Förster.