KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — As the Israeli blockade of Gaza enters its third month, hospitals are struggling to provide basic nutrition to recovering patients, forcing families to bring whatever scarce food they can find.
Asmaa Fayez recently brought a small serving of zucchini and rice to her 4-year-old son, Ali, at Nasser Hospital. It was the only meal he had all day, a rare improvement from the canned beans and tuna he usually eats. Many patients, including Ali, have lost significant weight as medical facilities run out of essential supplies.
“Most, if not all, wounded patients have lost weight, especially in the past two months,” said Dr. Khaled Alserr, a general surgeon at Nasser Hospital. He added that nutritional supplements for intensive care patients are severely lacking.
The U.N. reports that 16,000 pregnant women and new mothers in Gaza are facing acute malnutrition, while thousands of children have also been diagnosed with severe nutritional deficiencies. With 80% of Gaza’s farmlands damaged by Israeli attacks and many remaining fields now within military zones, local food production has plummeted.
Despite claims by Israeli officials that enough food entered Gaza during a temporary ceasefire earlier this year, rights groups have described the blockade as a “starvation tactic” and a potential war crime, warning that proposed plans to control aid distribution could further restrict access to essential supplies.
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