UNICEF: Nearly 9,300 Gaza children under five face severe malnutrition

The United Nations Children's Fund has revealed that nearly 9,300 children under five years old in Gaza were diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition during October, highlighting a deepening humanitarian catastrophe in the besieged territory. UNICEF warned that life-threatening nutritional deficiencies among young children are accelerating as winter conditions compound the health emergency, creating what the agency describes as a perfect storm of malnutrition, disease exposure, and inadequate shelter.

Winter Conditions and Disease Spread

The onset of winter weather has dramatically worsened living conditions across Gaza, with thousands of displaced families remaining in makeshift shelters without warm clothing, blankets, or adequate protection from the elements. Heavy seasonal rains have washed waste and sewage through populated areas, accelerating the spread of waterborne diseases and creating additional health risks for malnourished children whose immune systems are already compromised by nutritional deficiencies.

Humanitarian Access Challenges

Despite the severe needs, UNICEF reported that substantial quantities of winter relief supplies remain blocked at Gaza's border crossings. The agency's Executive Director Catherine Russell emphasized that "every minute counts to protect these children" and called for the opening of all crossings into Gaza with simplified clearance procedures and clear prioritization of humanitarian supplies. Russell urged that aid be allowed to move through all feasible routes, including via Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and the West Bank.

Shelter Crisis and Infrastructure Damage

The malnutrition crisis unfolds alongside a severe shelter shortage, with Gaza authorities estimating a need for approximately 300,000 tents and prefabricated housing units to meet basic requirements. A recent winter storm damaged about 22,000 tents sheltering displaced families and left more than 288,000 households without protection from cold and rain. These conditions persist despite the ceasefire that took effect in October, with the territory's infrastructure largely destroyed after two years of conflict that has killed nearly 70,000 people, predominantly women and children.