At Least 66 Children Die of Malnutrition in Gaza as Fuel Shortages Halt Dialysis for 350 Patients at Al-Shifa Hospital

Since October 2023, at least 66 Palestinian children have died from acute malnutrition in the Gaza Strip amid Israel's ongoing blockade and tightened siege that has severely restricted the entry of milk, nutritional supplements, food aid, and fuel. Thousands of children in Gaza suffer from severe malnutrition, with reports indicating over 100,000 children affected by advanced levels of malnutrition. The health situation in Gaza has deteriorated into a crisis, with hospitals overwhelmed by malnutrition-related cases and other diseases exacerbated by food scarcity. The Al-Shifa Medical Complex, Gaza's largest hospital, has suspended kidney dialysis services due to a critical shortage of fuel needed to operate generators, endangering the lives of approximately 350 patients dependent on these treatments.

Intensive care units are only able to function for a few hours daily, and the continued fuel shortage threatens to halt all critical medical services, potentially leading to increased mortality among patients. Medical officials warn of the spread of epidemics, including meningitis, worsened by malnutrition and crowded living conditions where 40,000 people live per square kilometer. The health system is severely depleted, with shortages of essential medicines and medical supplies, and medical staff are operating under extreme conditions. Humanitarian organizations and health officials have called for urgent international pressure on Israel to allow the entry of fuel, medical supplies, and food aid to prevent further deterioration of the health crisis in Gaza.