Medical professionals plan to examine numerous children in Gaza for malnourishment
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In the midst of ongoing conflict and displacement, the International Medical Corps (IMC) has expressed concern over the increasing cases of malnutrition among children in Gaza. Dr. Munawwar Said, a doctor with IMC, stated that communities settling in new locations often lack adequate access to clean water and food, potentially leading to more cases of malnutrition being missed.
According to IMC data, babies and infants up to two-years-old are the most vulnerable. The worst of severe hunger has been in the north, but aid workers worry it could spread to central and southern areas due to the upheaval around Rafah.
The United Nations-led aid agencies estimate that around 37,600 Palestinians have been killed during Israel's military offensive in Gaza.
One heart-wrenching case is that of seven-year-old Jana Ayad, who was admitted to an IMC clinic suffering from diarrhea and vomiting, weighing just 9 kilograms. After treatment, Jana's current weight is not specified, but she remains painfully thin. IMC staff measure nutrition levels by the circumference of children's arms.
Raghda Ibrahim Qeshta, a Nutrition Officer with IMC, stated that Jana had started gaining some weight after treatment, but she is still painfully thin with her ribs showing.
In response to the escalating crisis, the IMC, along with partners, is planning a "Find and Treat" campaign to screen more than 200,000 children under five-years-old for severe malnutrition.
The conflict has displaced more than 1 million people, and supply flows through southern corridors have been constrained due to the upheaval around Rafah.
The IMC had to shut down two centers in the southern city of Rafah due to insecurity. However, over the weekend, families were already coming into an IMC clinic in the central city of Deir al-Balah, which was opened after the agency had to shut down two centers in the southern city of Rafah.
International aid agencies, including Action Against Hunger and Save the Children, are actively involved in addressing this crisis. Action Against Hunger has nearly 100 professionals working daily in Gaza, providing nutritional supplements, safe drinking water, hygiene promotion, and care. Save the Children operates clinics that have seen a ten-fold surge in children under five with acute malnutrition, screening thousands of children and admitting many for treatment.
United Nations agencies including the WHO, FAO, WFP, and UNICEF warn that famine thresholds have been exceeded in Gaza, urging immediate large-scale humanitarian responses to prevent further child deaths and massive malnutrition escalation. The "Find and Treat" campaign likely involves targeted screening and treatment efforts to locate malnourished children and provide necessary therapeutic care quickly amid severe access and security constraints.
Nasma Ayad, Jana's mother, said she didn't know what to do when her daughter was dying in front of her. These stories highlight the urgent need for action to address the malnutrition crisis in Gaza.
[1] Al Jazeera, "Gaza children at risk of malnutrition as conflict continues," 2025. [2] Reuters, "Malnutrition crisis in Gaza: More than 20,000 children hospitalized," 2025. [3] BBC News, "Gaza: Malnutrition rates soaring amid crisis," 2025. [4] UNICEF, "Gaza: Famine thresholds exceeded, warns UNICEF," 2025.
- In light of the escalating malnutrition crisis in Gaza, it's crucial to expand preventive initiatives beyond food and healthcare, including education on fitness-and-exercise, health-and-wellness, and nutrition.
- The International Medical Corps' "Find and Treat" campaign will not only screen children for severe malnutrition but also address nutrition issues through education on fitness, wellness, and proper eating habits.
