The World Health Organization’s representative for the occupied West Bank and Gaza, Richard Peeperkorn, announced Tuesday that 57 children in Gaza have died of malnutrition, citing the Palestinian Health Ministry. Israel has implemented a full siege on all aid in Gaza since March 2, not allowing food, water, medicine, or any other necessities into the besieged Strip while incessantly bombing its Palestinian civilian population and infrastructure.
This follows the latest data released by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), which admonished that the entire population of Gaza, some 2.1 million people, are at “critical risk of famine.” The report showed that one in five people in Gaza – 500,000 – are facing starvation.
Peeperkorn said Israel’s siege constitutes ”one of the world’s worst hunger crises,” caused by the “deliberate obstruction” of the aforementioned life-saving goods and materials. “If the situation persists, nearly 71,000 children under the age of five are expected to be acutely malnourished over the next eleven months,” he explained. Peeperkorn also highlighted that 17,000 pregnant and breastfeeding mothers are at similar risk.
“Without enough nutritious food, clean water, and access to health care, an entire generation will be permanently affected,” the representative warned. Under these circumstances, children are likely to fall victim to chronic health issues, stunted growth, and impaired brain development. He detailed a “dangerous cycle” in which healthcare is almost totally non-existent as widespread malnutrition weakens immune systems, all the while people cannot obtain clean water or sanitation. Additionally, he said children are more vulnerable to disease as vaccine coverage has drastically decreased.
Peeperkorn said the WHO is struggling to continue operating just 19 malnutrition treatment centers in Gaza due to massive supply shortages. Only 500 children can be treated with current supply levels, “a fraction of the urgent need.”
Peeperkorn told Anadolu Agency, the Turkish news outlet, that “If this situation persists, half a million people are at risk of starvation. One million people will be severely affected over the coming four or five months, and another half a million will be moderately affected.” He added, “no WHO trucks have crossed into Gaza since March 18, and 31 WHO trucks are at Al-Arish [near the Rafah border crossing], but supplies cannot be moved into Gaza due to the ongoing blockade.”
Starvation has not been the main cause of death in these situations, Peeperkorn said, arguing that diseases associated with starvation are often to blame. He pointed to children suffering from pneumonia and gastroenteritis in Gaza’s overwhelmed hospitals and health facilities. These children are made even more vulnerable because they are without food or clean water.
Peeperkorn reiterated calls for Israel to immediately lift its blockade, as well as to ensure the protection and restoration of basic infrastructure including health facilities, desalination plants, and bakeries. He called for the release of all hostages along with a ceasefire as well.
Connor Freeman is the assistant editor and a writer at the Libertarian Institute, primarily covering foreign policy. He is a co-host on the Conflicts of Interest podcast. His writing has been featured in media outlets such as Antiwar.com, Counterpunch, and the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity. He has also appeared on Liberty Weekly, Around the Empire, and Parallax Views. You can follow him on Twitter @FreemansMind96
