News- Middle East: The World Health Organization (WHO) has sounded the alarm over a "deadly surge" in malnutrition-related deaths in Gaza, where at least 21 children under the age of five have starved to death so far this year.

In a statement on Wednesday, the WHO said, "Severe acute malnutrition centers are full, without sufficient supplies for emergency feeding."

The worsening hunger crisis, it added, is being driven by the collapse of humanitarian aid pipelines directly resulting from the Israeli regime’s ongoing blockade of the coastal enclave.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the organization was unable to deliver any food for nearly 80 days between March and May, and added that the resumption of deliveries was still far below what is needed.

“The 2.1 million people up in the war zone that is Gaza are facing yet another killer on top of bombs and bullets, starvation; we’re now witnessing a deadly surge in malnutrition-related disease,” Ghebreyesus said.

According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, all major regions of Gaza are at Phase 4 Famine (Emergency Level), which means households have large food consumption gaps, high levels of malnutrition, and excess mortality.

Meanwhile, Gaza’s Health Ministry reported 10 new deaths linked to famine and malnutrition during the past 24 hours, which brings the total number of people starved to death in the besieged territory to 111.

Mohammed Abu Mughaisib, deputy medical coordinator for Doctors Without Borders’ operations in Palestine, said that the situation is “dramatically deteriorating” in Gaza and “everyone” is facing acute hunger.

“It is not only among the population who you see in the hospitals, but it is among our staff as well. The medical staff, the paramedics, everyone is facing the same situation. There is no food, people are completely exhausted,” he said.

“It is a young population, more than 50 percent of Gaza are children, and they need not just bread, they need real nutrition, they need food, they need eggs, milk, and this is not available since March,” Abu Mughaisib added, referring to Israel’s blockade of the strip.

He warned that there was also a high shortage of other essential items, including medicines and supplements required at medical centers.

Since the start of Israel's genocidal campaign in Gaza on October 7, 2023, the regime has killed more than 59,219 Palestinians, most of whom are children and women.

Source: Press TV