Children in the Gaza Strip are suffering from starvation amid persistent obstacles that hinder the delivery of crucial aid to the war-torn enclave, said a World Health Organization (WHO) spokesperson on Friday in Geneva, Switzerland.

Margaret Harris, the spokesperson, made the remarks at a press conference of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and WHO while once again appealing to Israel to respect international law regarding the safe passage of lifesaving relief in Gaza.

Over 93,400 children under five have been screened for malnutrition in Gaza since mid-January; 7,280 were found to have acute malnutrition, including 5,604 with moderate acute malnutrition and 1,676 with severe acute malnutrition, according to the latest update from the OCHA.

Another worrying finding is that, according to Harris, more than four in five children did not eat for a whole day at least once in the three days before the food insecurity survey.

"The 95 percent of children aged six to 23 months, so that's basically the under-fives, are eating two or less different food groups per day. But the thing that I find most shocking was 85 percent of children did not eat for a whole day at least once in the three days before the survey," she said.

The OCHA stressed that the current relief efforts for the Gaza people are woefully inadequate, urging Israel to open more land crossings to the enclave to facilitate the smooth entry of humanitarian aid.

SHOTLIST:
Geneva, Switzerland - May 31, 2024
1. Press conference in progress;
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Margaret Harris, spokesperson, World Health Organization:
"The 95 percent of children aged six to 23 months, so that's basically the under-fives, are eating two or less different food groups per day. But the thing that I find most shocking was 85 percent of children did not eat for a whole day at least once in the three days before the survey.";

Gaza Strip - May 29, 2024
3. Various of children sitting on pavement, street;
4. Various of displaced Palestinian holding baby in hospital, child crying;
5. Various of children on street.

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