Acute malnutrition to hit 137,000 children, pregnant women in Gaza

• The WHO warns of a looming health catastrophe, with over 100,000 children and 37,000 pregnant or breastfeeding women projected to suffer from acute malnutrition by April 2026.
• While the October 2025 ceasefire has temporarily pushed back famine, 1.6 million people (77% of Gaza) still face high levels of food insecurity, with a "worst-case scenario" risk of famine if hostilities resume or aid is halted.

The World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has issued a stark warning regarding the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, stating that over 100,000 children and 37,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women are projected to suffer from acute malnutrition by April 2026.

This projection is based on the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis, which highlights the fragile progress made since the October 2025 ceasefire.

According to the IPC Special Snapshot released in December 2025, no areas of the Gaza Strip are currently classified as experiencing famine, marking a notable improvement from earlier assessments.

Between mid-October and late November 2025, approximately 1.6 million people, representing 77% of the analyzed population, faced high levels of acute food insecurity, classified as IPC Phase 3 or above.

This includes over 500,000 individuals in Emergency (Phase 4) and 104,000 in Catastrophe (Phase 5), driven by factors such as infrastructure destruction and limited access to essential services.

Projections for the period from December 2025 to April 2026 indicate that acute food insecurity will persist at similar levels, with around 1.6 million people still in Crisis or worse conditions.

Specifically, 571,000 individuals are expected to be in Emergency (Phase 4), and nearly 1,900 in Catastrophe (Phase 5).

Under a worst-case scenario involving renewed hostilities or halted aid inflows, the entire Gaza Strip could face famine risk during this timeframe.

Acute malnutrition remains a critical concern, particularly among vulnerable groups. The IPC analysis estimates that nearly 101,000 children aged 6 to 59 months will suffer from acute malnutrition through mid-October 2026, including over 31,000 severe cases requiring urgent intervention.

Additionally, 37,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women are projected to need treatment for acute malnutrition over the same period, compounded by low dietary diversity, where no children meet minimum standards, and widespread food poverty affecting two-thirds of young children.

The recent ceasefire has facilitated some advancements, including increased humanitarian and commercial access, enabling the delivery of food aid sufficient for basic survival needs and the preparation of over 1.5 million hot meals daily.

Efforts to restore nutrition centers, water services, and health facilities have also contributed to pushing back famine.

However, these gains are precarious, with 79 percent of households unable to afford nutritious food despite market availability, and ongoing displacement affecting over 730,000 people since the ceasefire.

Key risks include restrictions on essential imports, uneven humanitarian access, and the impact of winter conditions on overcrowded shelters, which heighten disease outbreaks such as respiratory infections and diarrhea.

Only 50 percent of Gaza's health facilities are partially functional, facing shortages of supplies often delayed by complex entry procedures.