Gaza City / PNN /
In a makeshift tent in war-torn Gaza, the family of toddler Nagham Fadi Al-Ayed is living a harrowing reality that underscores the deepening humanitarian catastrophe engulfing the besieged Palestinian enclave.
Nagham, just two and a half years old, has been diagnosed with acute malnutrition following severe food shortages and a total lack of medical care. Once an energetic and lively child, she is now unable to move or sit without assistance.
Her weight has plummeted from 16 kilograms before the war to just 11 kilograms, raising grave concerns over her survival as conditions continue to deteriorate and basic necessities remain out of reach.
As the crisis drags on, Nagham’s health continues to decline. Her frail body can no longer resist hunger or disease. Once able to run and play, she now struggles to even sit upright. Any attempt to stand lasts only moments before she collapses from sheer weakness.
Her father, who suffers from a permanent disability in his leg caused by a previous injury, is unable to move easily — further isolating the family from aid and making it nearly impossible to seek food or medical assistance. Every journey outside their tent comes with enormous risk.
With no income and dwindling resources, the family has become entirely dependent on scarce humanitarian aid, waiting for whatever limited food parcels might arrive — often far too little to meet even the most basic needs.
Since the outbreak of war in Gaza in October 2023, Israel’s ongoing military campaign and blockade have plunged the strip into a deep humanitarian crisis. According to UN agencies and international NGOs, the population — particularly children — is facing catastrophic levels of food insecurity, with famine-like conditions reported in many areas.
Children under five are disproportionately affected. Malnutrition rates have skyrocketed due to the lack of access to clean water, infant formula, medical services, and basic food supplies. Aid convoys are routinely delayed or blocked, and vital infrastructure has been decimated, leaving families struggling to survive.
The crisis has prompted growing international concern and condemnation, with humanitarian organisations warning of a looming famine and calling for immediate ceasefire, full access for aid, and protection of civilians. Despite these appeals, conditions in Gaza continue to worsen, making stories like Nagham’s tragically common.
UNICEF: Children in Gaza Dying at “Unprecedented Rate” Amid Famine and Ongoing War
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned that children in the Gaza Strip are dying at an “unprecedented rate” due to famine and worsening conditions caused by Israel’s ongoing military campaign, which began on October 7, 2023.
In a media briefing following his recent trip to the Middle East, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Ted Chaiban said: “Children in Gaza are dying at a rate we have never seen before, and the signs of deep suffering and hunger are etched on their faces.”
Following his fourth visit to Gaza since the war began, Chaiban reflected on the gravity of the situation: “You see the images in the news and you know what’s happening — but being there is far more difficult. The signs of deep suffering and hunger are unmistakable on the faces of families and children.”
Chaiban also reported that more than 18,000 children have been killed in Gaza since the beginning of the war, underscoring the urgency of the situation. He warned that the territory is now facing an imminent threat of famine, with one in every three people in Gaza spending days without access to food.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza announced on Saturday that seven more people, including one child, have died from famine and malnutrition in the past 24 hours. In an update on the death toll from hunger-related causes, the ministry said that the total number of confirmed deaths from famine and malnutrition has risen to 169, including 93 children.
