Gaza: Babies in Gaza are facing lifelong health consequences due to severe malnutrition linked to Israel's blockade and restrictions on aid access, warned Doctors Without Borders, as reported by Dutch broadcaster NOS.
According to Anadolu Agency, Karel Hendriks, director of Doctors Without Borders Netherlands, highlighted the critical situation, stating, 'Children born malnourished have a very high risk of growth and developmental delays.' Hendriks emphasized the long-term impact of the withheld aid and food, noting, 'We will see the after-effects for many years to come of the fact that so much aid and food has been deliberately withheld recently.'
The alarming findings are based on data collected between late 2024 and early 2026 from four Doctors Without Borders clinics in Gaza. These clinics focused on pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and infants up to 6 months old. The aid group reported that many pregnant women suffered severe malnutrition during periods of intense Israeli attacks and food shortages, particularly in mid-2025, when humanitarian access was heavily restricted.
Hendriks revealed that more than half of the pregnant women who visited the clinics experienced malnutrition at some point during their pregnancy. He added that 90% of babies born to those women were premature, while 84% had low birth weight. The organization noted that newborn mortality among babies born to malnourished mothers was twice as high as among those born to healthy mothers.
Doctors Without Borders linked the deterioration of conditions to Israel's blockade on aid deliveries and attacks on civilian infrastructure, including medical facilities. The situation has caused repeated displacement, shortages of food, and limited access to healthcare. Despite a ceasefire, the group warned that conditions remain critical.
Between January 2024 and February 2026, Doctors Without Borders treated around 4,000 children under the age of 5 for acute malnutrition, along with more than 3,300 pregnant and breastfeeding women. Hendriks noted that 400 children had to be admitted for malnutrition in the first quarter of this year, with one-third suffering from the most severe form of acute malnutrition.
The organization called on Israel to reopen border crossings and allow the entry of humanitarian workers and supplies into Gaza. Hendriks stated, 'Since Jan. 1, our international staff have no longer had access to the Palestinian territories, and we have been unable to bring in new supplies.' He added that humanitarian groups were ready to deliver food, drinking water, and other essential aid if access restrictions were lifted.
According to Gaza's Health Ministry, the Israeli army has killed more than 72,600 people, mostly women and children, and injured over 172,000 in a deadly assault on Gaza since October 2023. Despite a ceasefire in place since last October, Israel has refused to allow the agreed quantities of humanitarian supplies into the enclave, where about 2.4 million Palestinians, including 1.5 million displaced, face severe humanitarian conditions.