Gaza hospital reports 21 children dead from severe malnutrition and starvation

Gaza Faces Hunger Amid Israeli Ground Assault

April 18, 2025

Nearly two million Gazans have been displaced at least once since the war began. The still‑alive population now grapples with severe shortages of food and essential supplies. Residents risk death while collecting aid at a few remaining distribution points.

Child Deaths from Malnutrition

• 21 children have died in the past 72 hours due to malnutrition and starvation, according to Mohammed Abu Salmiya, director of Al-Shifa Medical Complex.
• Deaths were recorded across multiple hospitals during the last 72 hours.

Israeli Strikes and Humanitarian Aid

• Israeli forces killed 15 people in a recent strike, according to Gaza’s civil defence agency.
• The World Health Organization reported that Israeli attacks have expanded to target medical facilities amid ground operations.
• Mahmud Bassal, spokesperson, said at least 13 people were killed and more than 50 wounded in Al-Shati camp west of Gaza City.

Displacement and Casualties

• More than 59,000 people have been killed during the 21‑month conflict, according to Hamas‑run authorities.
• Al‑Shati camp hosts thousands displaced from Gaza’s north in tents and makeshift shelters.
• Raed Bakr, 30, described a “massive explosion” that blew away his tent at about 1:40 am, leaving children screaming amid dust, smoke, and debris.

International Condemnation

• Latin Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa called the humanitarian situation “morally unacceptable,” noting men holding out in the sun for hours in hopes of a simple meal.
• Pope Leo XIV condemned the “barbarity” of the war and the blind “use of force.”
• UN chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus accused Israeli troops of entering WHO staff residences, forcing evacuations, and handcuffing, stripping, and interrogating male staff at gunpoint.
• UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned that the last lifelines keeping people alive are collapsing, with growing reports of children and adults suffering from malnutrition.

Expanded Ground Operations in Deir el‑Balah

• Israeli forces expanded ground operations in Deir el‑Balah after intense shelling of central Gaza, ordering residents to leave in anticipation of imminent action.
• Two people were killed in Deir el‑Balah, according to civil defence agency Bassal.
• The Israeli military stated they “identified shots being fired toward them” in the area and responded accordingly, asserting they would not refrain from operating in zones where terrorist activity threatens Israeli security.
• OCHA estimates 50,000 to 80,000 people live in the area, with 30,000 in displacement sites; nearly 88 % of the Gaza Strip is now either under evacuation orders or within Israeli militarised zones.

Death Toll and Historical Context

• Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has killed 59,106 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to the Hamas‑run health ministry.
• Hamas’s 2023 attack, which sparked the conflict, resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, most civilians, per an AFP tally based on official figures.