The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that more than 100,000 children and at least 37,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women in the Gaza Strip are projected to suffer from acute malnutrition by April 2026, as the humanitarian catastrophe deepens amid ongoing restrictions and the risk of renewed conflict.

The warning was issued by WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus following the release of a new assessment by United Nations agencies under the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) system. The report states that at least 1.6 million people across Gaza are expected to face high levels of acute food insecurity through mid-April 2026, placing much of the population on the brink of famine.

Dr. Tedros cautioned that the situation remains extremely fragile, stressing that any escalation of hostilities or further disruption to humanitarian access could push the entire Gaza Strip into full-scale famine by mid-April next year.

“In the worst-case scenarios, including a renewal of the conflict and a halt to humanitarian assistance, the entire Gaza Strip could face the risk of famine,” he said.

In a statement shared on X, the WHO chief underscored that limited progress made in preventing famine is being undermined by widespread infrastructure destruction, collapsed livelihoods, the devastation of local food production, and severe restrictions on humanitarian operations.

The health situation, he added, is equally dire. Only around 50 percent of Gaza’s health facilities are partially functional, many operating under extreme strain and without sufficient supplies. Hospitals and clinics continue to face critical shortages of medicines, medical equipment, fuel and staff, while the entry of essential items is delayed or blocked by complex approval procedures and restrictions, particularly on materials designated as “dual-use.”

“These facilities are struggling to operate while treating mass casualties, severe malnutrition, infectious diseases and maternal health emergencies,” Dr. Tedros said.

He emphasized that immediate action is needed to avert further loss of life, calling for the urgent and expedited approval and entry of essential medical supplies, equipment, and prefabricated hospital structures to expand Gaza’s shattered healthcare capacity.

Humanitarian agencies warn that children are bearing the heaviest burden of the crisis, with rising rates of wasting, stunting and preventable disease, while mothers face life-threatening complications due to hunger, poor sanitation and the collapse of maternal healthcare services.

International aid groups and UN officials continue to urge unhindered humanitarian access, a sustained ceasefire, and the lifting of restrictions that impede relief efforts, warning that without decisive intervention, Gaza’s humanitarian emergency will escalate into a man-made famine with irreversible consequences for an entire generation. (ILKHA)