Gaza Faces Catastrophic Malnutrition and Starvation, Health Ministry Reports

Malnutrition and starvation rates in Gaza have reached “catastrophic” levels, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. This dire situation persists despite a United States-brokered “ceasefire” intended to facilitate the entry of more food and medical supplies into the Strip, where Palestinians are facing famine.

The Gaza Health Ministry stated on Friday, coinciding with World Food Day, that at least 466 Palestinians have died from malnutrition and starvation since the beginning of 2024. Children constitute one-third of these fatalities. Elderly Palestinians represent the largest demographic affected by malnutrition-related deaths, with 189 recorded deaths, accounting for 40.5 percent of the total. The ministry reported that 11 percent of older individuals went without a meal for an entire day, and 48 percent reduced their food portions to feed their families.

Projections indicate that 74,200 children will require treatment for acute malnutrition through April 2027. Furthermore, malnutrition has exacerbated anemia rates among pregnant women, rising to 61 percent in 2026 from 41 percent prior to the conflict that began in October 2023. The first half of 2026 saw nearly 4,000 pregnancy losses, more than triple the number recorded in the preceding six months.

The ministry also warned that over 1.4 million Palestinians, representing 67 percent of Gaza’s population, are expected to face crisis-level food insecurity or worse by the end of 2026 as winter approaches.

The United Nations children’s agency, UNICEF, has described the progress made in addressing Gaza’s hunger crisis as fragile. UNICEF cautioned that the situation could deteriorate due to disruptions in the flow of supplies into the Strip and emphasized the necessity of keeping crossings open.

A UNICEF report released on Friday indicated that while the “ceasefire” established in October between Israel and Hamas has allowed for increased humanitarian and commercial supplies, acute malnutrition remains a significant risk. The report noted that enhanced food and nutrition responses, coupled with eased restrictions on supply entry, helped to avert a prolonged famine after it was declared in August 2025.

Ricardo Pires, a UNICEF spokesperson, stated in Geneva that the consistent and predictable flow of both commercial and humanitarian supplies is crucial. He warned, “The impact on children obviously will be felt if this situation is not resolved. We can’t go back to a situation where children and families are not getting all the supplies, goods, and services that they require.”

Israel claimed on Wednesday that no commercial goods had entered the Strip for several days, attributing the shortages to a tax dispute between local merchants and Hamas. The Palestinian group refuted Israel’s assertions as “baseless,” while Gaza’s Government Media Office denounced Israel’s actions as a “blatant disinformation campaign and false statement.” Israel’s decision to halt supplies has severed a critical source of food and other necessities in a territory heavily reliant on humanitarian aid following three years of war, repeated displacement, and strict Israeli restrictions on aid deliveries.

Even before the commencement of the conflict in 2023, an Israeli blockade encompassing land, sea, and air routes had limited the entry of food, clean water, fuel, and medical supplies into the Strip. The Gaza Health Ministry has appealed for international intervention to guarantee unrestricted access for food and medicine into Gaza and has also requested support for the revitalization of local food production.