Rising Child Malnutrition, Skin Diseases Deepen Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza
Rising Child Malnutrition, Skin Diseases Deepen Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza
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Health officials and international agencies are warning of alarming increases in child malnutrition and skin‑related illnesses in the besieged Gaza Strip, as longstanding shortages of food, water and basic services continue to worsen living conditions for families.
Local health authorities in Gaza have reported significant increases in childhood malnutrition, with acute and chronic undernourishment rising due to persistent food insecurity and limited humanitarian access. United Nations agencies and relief groups have previously documented that millions of people in Gaza face high levels of food insecurity, with hundreds of thousands of children at risk of severe malnutrition without sustained, large‑scale aid. At least 77 percent of the population still confronts acute food shortages, including children and pregnant women, despite some recent mitigations.
The humanitarian situation is compounded by severe water scarcity, overcrowding and deteriorating sanitation, which have fueled the spread of skin infections, infestations and other communicable conditions among displaced populations. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has reported that reported cases of skin diseases such as scabies, rashes and infections have tripled in Gaza’s overcrowded displacement camps in recent months, particularly affecting children living in tents and temporary shelters.
Child protection agencies also highlight that disease rates are amplified by infestations of pests — including lice, fleas and rodents — in more than half of displacement sites, placing nearly two‑thirds of all children in Gaza at risk of infection.
Medical professionals note that poor nutrition weakens immune systems, making children and other vulnerable groups more susceptible to illness. UN coordination reports have previously described dramatic increases in diarrheal and respiratory diseases among children linked to unsafe water and malnutrition.
