Gaza Malnutrition: UN Warns of Child Hunger Crisis
- the number of children under 5 diagnosed with acute malnutrition in Gaza has risen sharply,according to a United Nations report.
- The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported a doubling in the number of children with severe acute malnutrition requiring hospitalization in May, compared to...
- Despite the surge in cases, only four stabilization centers in Gaza are equipped to treat severe acute malnutrition with medical complications, OCHA said.
Gaza faces a spiraling child hunger crisis, with malnutrition cases among children under 5 tripling in recent months. A new UN report highlights that nearly 6% of examined children now suffer from malnutrition, signaling a dire situation within the territory. Hospital admissions for severe acute malnutrition have alarmingly doubled. The fragile health system is collapsing, treatment centers are closing, and access to life-saving care shrinks. News Directory 3 is closely following the developments as aid organizations desperately seek to provide critical assistance amid the crisis. Can international efforts reverse this trend, and how will the dwindling resources impact the most vulnerable? Discover what’s next.
Gaza Malnutrition Crisis Deepens; Child Hospitalizations Soar
Updated June 6,2025
the number of children under 5 diagnosed with acute malnutrition in Gaza has risen sharply,according to a United Nations report. Screenings in late May revealed that 5.8 percent of nearly 47,000 children examined – a total of 2,733 – suffered from the condition. This figure is almost triple that of three months prior.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported a doubling in the number of children with severe acute malnutrition requiring hospitalization in May, compared to previous months.as January, more than 16,500 children under 5 have been treated for severe acute malnutrition, with 141 needing hospital care due to complications, according to the Nutrition Cluster data cited by OCHA.
Despite the surge in cases, only four stabilization centers in Gaza are equipped to treat severe acute malnutrition with medical complications, OCHA said. Centers in North Gaza and Rafah have been forced to close, leaving children in those areas without access to lifesaving treatment.
The World Health Association (WHO) has warned that Gaza’s “health system is collapsing” as the territory’s population faces widespread starvation. The WHO appealed for the “urgent protection” of Nasser Medical Complex and Al-Amal Hospital, stating they “are at risk of becoming non-functional.”
“The relentless and systematic decimation of hospitals in Gaza has been going on for too long. It must end immediately,” the WHO said in a statement.
WHO calls for urgent protection of Nasser Medical Complex and Al-Amal Hospital in the Gaza Strip
WHO warns that the #Gaza Strip’s health system is collapsing,with Nasser Medical Complex,the most vital referral hospital left in Gaza,and Al-Amal Hospital at risk of becoming… pic.twitter.com/Rd3ZjASuBp
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) June 5, 2025
What’s next
Aid organizations are calling for increased access and resources to address the escalating malnutrition crisis and prevent further deterioration of the health system in Gaza. The focus remains on securing the remaining hospitals and providing essential child care.