Palestinian Ministry of Health: 466 people died in Gaza due to hunger

The Palestinian Ministry of Health announced that since 2024, 466 deaths due to hunger and malnutrition have been recorded in the Gaza Strip.

Ambassador Arjan-International Group: In the statement of the Palestinian Ministry of Health on the occasion of World Food Day, it is stated: The level of malnutrition and hunger in the Gaza Strip has reached a catastrophic level, which has severely affected children, the elderly and vulnerable groups.

Since 2024, 466 deaths from malnutrition and hunger have been recorded, as the Gaza Strip enters its third year of war, which has made hunger a daily reality, the ministry announced.

After the official declaration of famine in Gaza province in August 2025, it is predicted that more than 1.4 million Palestinian citizens (ie 67% of the population) will face a food crisis or worse by the end of 2026.

Another part of this statement states: 157 children died due to malnutrition in the Gaza Strip.

The ministry announced that from 2024 to August 2026, 158,011 cases of acute malnutrition among children under the age of five were recorded, of which 28,716 cases were severe and life-threatening.

It is stated in this statement: The death rate of children under the age of five has increased from 13.6 to 33.4 per thousand births between 2022 and 2025, and 12.2 percent of children are stunted.

According to this statement, it is predicted that by April 2027, 74,200 children will need treatment for acute malnutrition, and the rate of anemia among pregnant women will reach 61% in 2026. This figure was 41% before the war.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health also announced the registration of nearly 4,000 abortions in the first half of 2026, which is more than 3 times more than six months ago, and one out of three pregnancies is classified as high-risk.

According to this statement, the elderly with 189 people (40.5% of all deaths) constitute the highest proportion of deaths due to malnutrition.

The statement added: 11% of the elderly did not eat any meals during the day and 48% reduced their meals for the benefit of their families, while 68% of them stopped or reduced their intake due to running out of their medication.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health emphasized that the right to food is an inherent human right that cannot be destroyed by war.

The ministry called on the international community and the United Nations to take immediate and urgent measures to ensure the safe, sustainable and unrestricted entry of food, medical supplements and medicines, giving priority to children, pregnant women, nursing mothers and the elderly, and to support and revive local food production in the Gaza Strip.

The United Nations has warned about the continuation of the hunger crisis in Gaza and announced that chronic malnutrition among children in the region has increased and the situation of civilians is still critical.

The Israeli army radio admitted that the total amount of air aid sent to Gaza was not even the capacity of five trucks. This acknowledgment comes at a time when the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached its peak and international institutions have called for immediate help.

In the last 24 hours, the Zionist regime committed three crimes against Palestinian families in the Gaza Strip, as a result of which 40 people were martyred and 224 people were injured.