United Nations humanitarian agencies have sounded the alarm after medical sources in the Gaza Strip confirmed that more than 100 children have died from malnutrition since Israel’s war on the besieged enclave began in October 2023.

In a statement late Monday, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) described the death toll as “a catastrophic milestone that stains the world’s reputation and calls for urgent, long-overdue action.”

The World Food Programme (WFP) warned that over 300,000 children in Gaza are at severe risk of hunger, with more than one-third of the population going without food for days at a time. According to WFP data, the territory’s food needs require over 62,000 tons per month, yet the amount allowed in remains far below the minimum necessary for the survival of nearly two million people.

OCHA reported that the UN and partner agencies were able to bring in limited amounts of food, fuel, and humanitarian supplies through the Kerem Shalom crossing on Sunday, but said the shipments were unloaded before reaching their intended destinations.

Israeli authorities are reportedly permitting only around 150,000 liters of fuel per day into Gaza—far below the amount needed to sustain hospitals, aid distribution, and other life-saving operations. More than half of Gaza’s ambulances are now out of service due to fuel shortages and the lack of spare parts.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) further warned of a near-total collapse of Gaza’s food system, revealing that just 1.5% of the Strip’s agricultural land remains usable. Vast tracts of farmland have been destroyed by bombardment, contamination, and the ongoing blockade.

Humanitarian groups say the crisis is deepening daily, with the starvation of children becoming one of the most visible and harrowing consequences of the war. (ILKHA)