90 per cent of children under 23 months in Gaza facing severe hunger: Report

There has been a sharp escalation in the drivers of malnutrition, food insecurity; lack of diet diversity; deteriorating infant and young child feeding practices; lack of access to safe water and sanitation; widespread disease; and a collapsed health system in Gaza according to a report by Global Nutrition Cluster (GNC).

Over 90 per cent of children aged 6–23 months and pregnant and breastfeeding women facing severe food poverty said GNC. 

"Results from the analysis suggest that the nutrition situation of women and children in Gaza is worsening, everywhere, but especially in Northern Gaza and Rafah. In Northern Gaza, 1 in 6 children are acutely malnourished, with an estimated 3 percent facing the most severe form of wasting and requiring immediate treatment," the report said.

GNC writes that in Gaza:

• At least 90 percent of children under 5 are affected by one or more infectious disease and 70 percent have had diarrhoea in the past two weeks

• 81 percent of households lack safe and clean water, with average household access at less than one litre per person per day