Ministry of Health: Malnutrition and hunger in Gaza at "catastrophic" levels

About 67 percent of Gaza's population is projected to face crisis-level food insecurity or worse by the end of 2026.

Malnutrition and hunger rates in Gaza have reached "catastrophic" levels, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, despite a US-brokered "ceasefire" in part aimed at allowing more food and medical supplies into the Gaza Strip as Palestinians face famine.

Gaza's Ministry of Health announced on Friday in a statement released on the occasion of World Food Day that since 2024, at least 466 Palestinians have died due to malnutrition and hunger, with a third of the deaths being children.

List of 3 items List 1 of 3 photos: The worsening of the hunger crisis in Gaza

List 2 of 3 At least 31 dead in Israeli attacks on Gaza as hunger crisis mounts

List 3 of 3 The World Hunger Report warns of rising risks of malnutrition and famine

At the end of the list, elderly Palestinians accounted for the largest share of malnutrition deaths in the Strip, with 189 deaths, accounting for 40.5% of all deaths. The ministry said 11 percent of seniors go a full day without a meal, and 48 percent cut their meals so their families can eat.

The ministry estimated that by April 2027, 74,200 children would need treatment for acute malnutrition.

Malnutrition also pushed the rate of anemia among pregnant women to 61 percent in 2026, up from 41 percent before the war began in October 2023. Nearly 4,000 miscarriages were recorded in the first half of 2026, more than triple the number recorded in the previous six months.

More than 1.4 million Palestinians — 67 percent of Gaza's population — are expected to face crisis-level food insecurity or worse by the end of 2026 as the winter months approach, the ministry warned.

The United Nations' children's agency, UNICEF, said gains in dealing with Gaza's hunger crisis are fragile. The organization warned that the situation could worsen due to transportation disruptions to the Strip, and called for the crossings to remain open.

While a so-called "ceasefire" between Israel and Hamas last October allowed in more humanitarian aid and commercial supplies, acute malnutrition remains a risk, a UNICEF report released on Friday showed.

Greater food and nutrition responses and reduced restrictions on food and feed imports helped prevent prolonged famine after it was declared in August 2025, the report said.

UNICEF spokesman Ricardo Pearce told reporters in Geneva that the flow of commercial and humanitarian supplies must remain predictable and continuous.

"If this situation is not resolved, obviously the impact on children will be felt," he said. "We cannot go back to a situation where children and families are not getting all the supplies, goods and services they need."

Israel announced on Wednesday that no commercial goods had entered the Strip in several days, citing a tax dispute between local merchants and Hamas as the reason for the lack of supply. The Palestinian group called Israel's claims "baseless," while the Gaza government's media office condemned "Israel's disinformation campaign and false statements."

Israel's move to freeze supplies has cut off a vital source of food and other goods in a land mostly dependent on humanitarian aid after three years of war, repeated displacement and severe Israeli restrictions on aid.

Even before Israel's genocidal war against Gaza began in 2023, Israel's land, sea and air blockade restricted the flow of food, clean water, fuel and medical supplies from entering the Strip.

The Gaza Ministry of Health has called for international action to ensure the unrestricted entry of food and medicine into the Gaza Strip. He also called for support to revive local food production.