The Palestinian Ministry of Health reported that malnutrition and starvation have reached catastrophic levels in Gaza, with at least 466 deaths attributed to these conditions since 2024. Children comprised one-third of the fatalities, while elderly Palestinians experienced the highest number of malnutrition-related deaths at 189, or 40.5 percent of the total. The ministry noted that 11 percent of older residents skipped meals entirely on certain days, while 48 percent reduced portion sizes to ensure other family members could eat.
Projections indicate that approximately 74,200 children will require treatment for acute malnutrition through April 2027. Health indicators have deteriorated significantly, with anemia among pregnant women rising to 61 percent in 2026 compared to 41 percent before October 2023. Pregnancy losses in the first half of 2026 exceeded 4,000, more than triple the number from the preceding six-month period. Overall, more than 1.4 million Palestinians—representing 67 percent of Gaza’s population—face projected crisis-level food insecurity or worse through the conclusion of 2026 as colder months approach.
UNICEF stated that improvements in addressing the hunger crisis remain fragile and vulnerable to supply disruptions. While a ceasefire agreement last October enabled increased humanitarian and commercial aid entry, acute malnutrition persists as a significant risk. A UNICEF report noted that scaled-up food and nutrition responses, combined with eased restrictions on supply entry, helped prevent extended famine conditions after a declaration in August 2025.
Disagreement over supply provision emerged this week when Israel stated that commercial goods had not entered the Strip for several days, attributing shortages to a tax dispute between local merchants and Hamas. Hamas rejected these claims as baseless, with Gaza’s Government Media Office characterizing the assertion as a disinformation campaign. The supply halt has disrupted access to vital goods in a territory where most residents depend on humanitarian assistance following three years of conflict, repeated displacement, and Israeli restrictions on aid deliveries.
The Gaza Health Ministry called for international intervention to guarantee unrestricted food and medicine entry while advocating for support to restore local food production capacity.
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