Over 100 children die from hunger in Gaza, UN urges urgent action

United Nations humanitarian officials on Monday called for immediate action after Gaza’s health authorities reported that more than 100 children have died from malnutrition since the war began in October 2023.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said its relief partners in Gaza described the death toll surpassing 100 as “a devastating milestone that shames the world and demands long-overdue urgent action.”

The World Food Programme (WFP) warned that more than 300,000 children remain at severe risk, with over one-third of Gaza’s population reporting they have gone without food for consecutive days.

Meeting Gaza’s basic food needs requires more than 62,000 tons of aid per month, but so far, only a fraction of that has been allowed in, far from enough to sustain the nearly two million people living there.

OCHA reported that on Sunday, the UN and its partners managed to collect some food, fuel, and hygiene supplies from the Kerem Shalom crossing.

However, the shipments were offloaded before trucks reached their intended destinations.

Fuel also entered through the same crossing, but "Israeli" authorities are allowing an average of about 150,000 liters per day, well below the minimum required to keep life-saving operations running.