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Gaza Doctor: Children Dying of Hunger, Hospitals Collapsing
A dire humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Gaza, where children are dying from starvation and preventable injuries, according to a senior Palestinian pediatrician. Dr. Ahmmed Al-Farra, head of pediatrics and maternity at Gaza’s Nasser Medical Complex, described the situation as “unbelievable,” likening the scenes to something out of a textbook.
In an interview, Dr. Al-Farra reported widespread hospital closures in northern Gaza.
Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, once a major medical facility in the south, has been repeatedly hit by Israeli airstrikes. He stated that critical shortages of equipment and medicine are leading to deaths on the operating table.
“If a patient in North Gaza has chest pain or is injured, he will lose his life,” Al-Farra warned. He cited the destruction or incapacitation of key hospitals, including Shifa, Kamal Adwan, and the Indonesian Hospital.
The doctor painted a grim picture of life in Gaza, where children are suffering from severe malnutrition. He described seeing children with marasmus, a life-threatening form of starvation, reduced to “skin and bone” and weighing a fraction of what they should.
He cited the case of six-month-old Siwar Ashour, who is severely malnourished and struggling to survive at Nasser Hospital. The baby, who requires specialized formula, is unable to regulate her own body temperature due to extreme weight loss.
Dr. Al-Farra explained that while Doctors Without Borders has provided some emergency baby formula, it’s insufficient.
Children briefly improve in the hospital, but relapse after being discharged due to the ongoing lack of food. He highlighted the widespread hunger impacting all residents, stating that even he, as a doctor, has been unable to access meat, chicken, or fish for three months.
While some aid has recently been allowed into Gaza, including food, baby formula, and medical supplies, the amount is considered inadequate to address the widespread need. The aid blockade, imposed by Israel to pressure Hamas to release hostages, has severely exacerbated the humanitarian crisis.
Although Israel recently agreed to allow a “basic” amount of food into Gaza to prevent a “starvation crisis,” the situation remains critical. The ongoing conflict, which began in October 2023, has resulted in a devastating loss of life, particularly among Palestinian women and children.
Dr. Al-Farra’s plea is simple: “We’re not asking for miracles.
We’re asking for food, for medicine. They are not numbers on paper — they are human beings… They have the right to survive.”