One in Five Pregnant Women in Gaza Clinic Suffers from Malnutrition

SEAToday.com, Gaza - One in five pregnant women treated at a clinic in central Gaza is malnourished. Little aid has reached Gaza, even after the UN warned of "pockets of hunger" and widespread starvation in the enclave.

Over the past month, deliveries have fallen by about half from January levels, to less than 100 trucks per day - or 2,300 trucks for the entire month. The UN says that this still falls short of the estimated 500 trucks needed daily to meet people's basic needs.

According to UN projections, one in four households in Gaza, or more than half a million people, "face catastrophic conditions characterised by food shortages, hunger and exhausted capacity for survival".

Two children died at Kamal Adwan hospital in northern Gaza from malnutrition and dehydration, local health authorities reported on 27 February.

Hospitals and health workers have also been severely affected by aid restrictions. Al-Awda Hospital in Jabalia, northern Gaza, reportedly halted medical services on Wednesday (29/2) due to shortages of fuel and medical supplies. Only a third of Gaza's hospitals are functioning, according to UN data, and even those that are operating are overwhelmed with patients and shortages of supplies.

The UN and humanitarian organisations say that logistics obstacles involving movement restrictions, border checks and closed crossings, as well as visa freezes for many staff, are hampering efforts to get aid into Gaza. (DKD)