Malnutrition-related deaths have surged to unprecedented levels in the Gaza Strip, with the World Health Organization (WHO) sounding the alarm over what it calls a preventable crisis spiraling out of control.
According to a new report, 63 out of 74 total malnutrition-related deaths in 2025 occurred in July alone including 24 children under five. Most of the victims died before reaching medical care or shortly after arrival, showing signs of severe wasting.
The crisis, WHO states, is being driven by the continued obstruction and delay of large-scale food and humanitarian aid, which has now become a death sentence for many in Gaza’s besieged communities.
“This is not a natural disaster, it is entirely preventable,” said a WHO spokesperson. “People are dying not just from hunger, but from the impossible choices they are forced to make to find food.”
Children Face the Brunt of the Crisis
The latest data from Nutrition Cluster partners paints a devastating picture, nearly one in five children under five in Gaza City is now acutely malnourished. Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) levels have tripled since June, making Gaza City the hardest-hit area. In Khan Younis and the Middle Area, rates have doubled in less than a month and these figures are believed to underestimate the true scale of the crisis due to severe access and security challenges.
Over 5,000 children under five have already been admitted for outpatient treatment in the first two weeks of July alone, 18% of them suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), the deadliest form. Hospitalizations are also rising sharply where 73 children with SAM and medical complications were admitted in July, up from 39 the previous month.
The four specialized malnutrition treatment centers in Gaza are now overwhelmed and nearing collapse. Supplies are expected to run out by mid-August, fuel shortages are paralyzing operations, and exhausted health workers are battling a rising tide of disease exacerbated by the breakdown of water and sanitation infrastructure.
Women at Risk
Pregnant and breastfeeding women are also being hit hard. WHO reports that over 40% are now severely malnourished, with the Middle Area showing the steepest rise. These women face heightened risks of complications, illness, and death threatening a generational impact on maternal and child health.
But it’s not just malnutrition that is killing people. The desperation to secure even basic food supplies is also proving deadly. Since May 27, more than 1,060 people have been killed and 7,200 injured while trying to access food under chaotic and dangerous conditions.
In response, the WHO is calling for urgent, sustained efforts to “flood the Gaza Strip with diverse, nutritious food” and deliver therapeutic supplies, essential medicines, and critical fuel to health facilities. It stresses that humanitarian aid must flow consistently and without obstruction.
WHO also reiterated calls for the protection of civilians and healthcare workers, the release of hostages, and an immediate ceasefire.
“The human cost of inaction is staggering,” the WHO warns. “Every delay, every denial of aid, adds another name to the list of the dead. This cannot continue.”
Shahriena Shukri is a journalist covering business and economic news in Malaysia, providing insights on market trends, corporate developments, and financial policies. More about Shahriena Shukri.
