One In Three Children In Gaza Not Eating Due To Israel's Blockade

Gazans while queuing for food. (Source: WHO)

JAKARTA - The UN Aid and Work Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) reported that one in three children in the Gaza Strip had not consumed food in the past 24 hours due to severe shortages due to the ongoing Israeli blockade.

In a statement released Friday, UNRWA cited an assessment of the rapid needs made by the International Rescue Committee, which found that many children in Gaza spent a full day without access to any food.

The agency said the impact of humanity experienced by children was devastating. Many families struggle to overcome extreme shortages, forcing some children to work or beg for survival, quoted from WAFA September 26.

UNRWA added that the psychological and physical impacts of hunger, coupled with the ongoing war, put children's health, safety, and development at serious risks.

UNRWA again called for an immediate ceasefire, stressing that a ceasefire is critical to protecting the lives and welfare of Gaza's youngest and most vulnerable population.

The agency warned that without swift international action, the humanitarian crisis experienced by children in Gaza could worsen.

Separately, health authorities confirmed the death toll from Palestine since the conflict in Gaza broke out on October 7, 2023, has reached 65,549 people, while 167,518 people have died.