UN Warns Specialized Food for Malnourished Children Will Run Out by Mid-August

Gaza is spiraling into a deepening humanitarian catastrophe as United Nations agencies report that specialized therapeutic food, crucial for treating severely malnourished children, could be completely depleted by midAugust unless immediate action is taken. Humanitarian groups say they currently have supplies to treat only around 3,000 children, despite having treated an estimated 5,000 severely malnourished youngsters in the first half of July alone. Many more could face life-threatening starvation if aid does not increase rapidly. The World Health Organization has warned that key nutrition programs for vulnerable groups-including pregnant women and children under five-may soon cease entirely due to shortages.
Aid delivery has been severely constrained by Israel’s blockade of Gaza, imposed in March and only partially eased in May. Despite claims of open crossings, UN agencies argue that aid flow remains minimal, and bureaucratic restrictions persistently delay or block supplies. Hospitals are registering rising numbers of starvation deaths. Gaza’s Health Ministry reported at least 111 hunger-related fatalities-including many children—since the onset of the blockade. In July alone, at least 46 people reportedly died from starvation. Aid workers themselves are becoming victims of hunger, with agencies describing scenes of humanitarian staff fainting in food lines.
UNRWA has confirmed over 100 deaths due to starvation, describing affected individuals as “walking corpses.” It reports stockpiles of some 6,000 truckloads of food and medical supplies ready in Jordan and Egypt, but these remain inaccessible due to border restrictions. WHO officials have described the crisis as man-made mass starvation and insist it can only be alleviated by lifting the blockade and restoring unfettered humanitarian access. Despite calls to formally declare famine, experts note that limited data and restricted access have delayed official famine status under international protocols. Regardless, the severity of malnutrition-especially among children—has reached previously unseen levels.
UN agencies, aid organizations, and international observers are demanding urgent measures including the immediate lifting of all restrictions, the restoration of UN-led aid distribution mechanisms, a ceasefire to enable safe humanitarian relief, and the rapid replenishment of life-saving therapeutic food to prevent further deaths.
Sources:
Reuters, The Guardian, WHO, UNICEF, AP News, Al Jazeera.