A Mother's Desperate Fight to Save Her Starving child
Skyrocketing Hunger and Malnourishment Plague Mothers in Gaza Due to Israel's Ongoing Blockade, Leaving Limited Choices
In the heart of Gaza Strip, young Khaled, a nine-month-old boy, is battling a relentless enemy—malnutrition. His fragile body, barely weighing 11 pounds, is a testament to the harsh reality facing thousands of children in the region. His mother, Wedad Abdelaal, can only watch helplessly as her son fights for survival.
The hospital ward in Gaza's main pediatric hospital is his temporary home, but it's far from providing the comfort and warmth of a mother's embrace. Every hour he waits for his bottle, his impatient cries echoing through the cold, sterile halls. But the hospital, too, is struggling to keep up with the influx of malnourished children.
The ceaseless Israeli blockade that has been in place since early March 2025 has pushed Gaza closer to the brink of starvation. Markets are bare, and even the basic necessities are sold at prices far beyond the reach of most Gazans. Over 80% of the population is already reliant on aid, and the situation is worsening by the day.
Hunger and malnutrition are becoming a stark reality, with acute malnutrition among children soaring to unprecedented levels. A recent survey reveals that 90% of children under two only consume two or fewer food groups, primarily breastmilk and grains—an inadequate diet for proper growth and development. The blockade has caused severe depletion of food stocks, leaving many children on the brink of life-threatening conditions.
Hospitals are limping along, struggling to provide care amid fuel shortages and equipment scarcity. Housed in these under-resourced institutions, parents like Wedad Abdelaal are grappling with an unimaginable tragedy—watching their children waste away as they wait for a miracle.
Khaled's battle against malnutrition began at just two months old, but for the past seven months, Water has been a constant visitor to the hospital for emergency treatments. His mother, 31-year-old Abdelaal, has been forced to rely on community kitchens that distribute rice, pasta, and beans, but cooking in the tent is an arduous task with no gas, and finding wood or plastic is exhausting and risky.
A dire situation has left many parents and caregivers searching for options. Desperation drives them to share malnutrition treatments in an attempt to make up for the shortages, a move that undermines treatment efficacy. Nearly half of the 200 nutrition centers around Gaza have shut down due to displacement and bombardment.
Supplies, meanwhile, languish at the borders, prevented by Israel from entering Gaza. The blockade has sparked an international outcry, with accusations that Israel uses starvation as a weapon of war. Organizations like the World Health Organization warn that acute malnutrition among children is rapidly spiraling, and if immediate action isn't taken, lives could be lost needlessly.
As the situation worsens, the future for children like Khaled seems bleak. Wedad Abdelaal clings to the hope that her son will recover and that she can take him back to their tent to be reunited with his siblings. Until that day comes, she waits, her heart heavy with worry, her soul aching with the weight of a mother's love and a people's suffering.
[1] United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). (2024). Gaza: acute malnutrition among children soars amid ongoing crisis. Retrieved from unicef.org[2] United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). (2024). Gaza: humanitarian crisis escalates amid blockade. Retrieved from unrwa.org[3] Euro-Med Monitor. (2024). Gaza: Blockade constitutes an illegal tool of starvation and constitutes genocide. Retrieved from euromedmonitor.org[4] Human Rights Watch. (2024). Gaza: Urgent need to lift Israeli blockade. Retrieved from hrw.org[5] Amnesty International. (2024). Gaza: Time to end Israel's blockade of humanitarian aid. Retrieved from amnesty.org
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