GAZA, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- At six years old, Misk al-Madhoun weighs just five kilograms -- roughly the weight of a two-month-old infant. Suffering from cerebral atrophy since infancy, she now lies limp and silent in northern Gaza, her body wasting away as war deprives the enclave of even the most basic means of survival.
"We had financial difficulties even before the war," her father, Bilal al-Madhoun, told Xinhua. "Now we can't find anything -- no treatment, no food. Humanitarian aid has almost disappeared."
Despite occasional assistance from charitable organizations, her family often goes without food. Their hopes now have shifted from seeking medical treatment to simply securing basic necessities -- a bottle of milk or a clean cloth -- to ease their daughter's suffering.
Since the outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, Israel has imposed a near-total blockade on the Gaza Strip, drastically limiting the entry of food, fuel, medicine, and other essential goods.
Crossings into the enclave -- already tightly controlled before the war -- have been largely shut, while infrastructure has been bombarded, displacing most of Gaza's 2.3 million residents and crippling public services, especially the health system.
Children like Misk, living with chronic illnesses or disabilities, are among the hardest hit. Many have experienced rapidly deteriorating conditions -- and in many cases, death.
On Tuesday, 15-year-old Tamer Shohaiber died at al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip due to complications related to severe malnutrition, according to hospital officials.
Born also with cerebral atrophy, Tamer's condition worsened since the war began, said Khalil al-Diqran, a spokesperson for the hospital. "In his final days, we can't secure even basic food such as bread," said his grieving mother.
Al-Diqran said Tamer's case is not an isolated one. "We are witnessing a surge in child deaths that could have been prevented if minimal health and nutritional support had been available," he said.
Since Oct. 7, 2023, at least 201 people have died due to starvation and lack of medical treatment in Gaza, including 98 children, according to figures released by the Gaza-based health authorities on Friday.
In the 24 hours leading up to the report, four deaths were recorded, including two children, the authorities said in a press statement.
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has voiced alarm over the deepening humanitarian crisis, warning that approximately one-third of Gaza's population has gone days without food.
In a press statement released in late July, the WFP estimated that around 470,000 people in Gaza are experiencing famine-like conditions, with at least 90,000 women and children in urgent need of nutritional support.
"It's clear a disaster is unfolding in front of our eyes, in front of our television screens," said Ross Smith, WFP director of emergencies, in a press briefing in Geneva.
Similarly, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned on Monday that more than 320,000 children in Gaza under the age of five are at risk of dying from acute malnutrition.
"Every hour matters for the children of Gaza, and if the situation does not change immediately, the consequences could be dire," the organization said in a statement, calling for urgent international action. ■
