Tragic death of a five-month-old baby in the arms of its mother in Gaza, victim of the intensifying hunger predicament
Gaza's Malnutrition Crisis Deepens: 5-Month-Old Baby Zeinab Abu Halib Dies from Severe Malnutrition
Gaza, 2023 - A 5-month-old Palestinian baby, Zeinab Abu Halib, tragically lost her life due to severe malnutrition on Friday. Zeinab's mother, Israa Abu Halib, tried to get her to a hospital in southern Gaza, but Zeinab stopped moving and breathing during the walk, which took more than 30 minutes due to a lack of transportation.
The malnutrition crisis in Gaza has been escalating since March 2, 2025, when Israel imposed a total blockade on food and aid imports, restricting access to essential resources. This blockade has led to widespread hunger, with one in three Gazans reportedly going without food for days.
The collapse of aid distribution systems, ongoing conflict, and destruction have further exacerbated the situation. Israel replaced the UN-led aid delivery system with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which operates only four distribution centers compared to hundreds previously. This has forced people to travel through dangerous conflict zones to access limited aid, leading to increased violence and deaths among those seeking food.
The war following the October 2023 attack has intensified displacement, infrastructure damage, and hospital overcrowding, particularly affecting children. Human rights organizations such as Amnesty International accuse Israel of using starvation deliberately as a weapon of war, resulting in considerable child mortality and widespread malnutrition.
Since the conflict began in 2023, Dr. al-Boursh, Director General of the Ministry of Health, reported that 122 people had died from malnutrition, including 83 children. Over 260,000 children under the age of five in Gaza are currently suffering from malnutrition.
The starvation crisis in Gaza has generated international outrage but continues to deepen. The number of people Doctors Without Borders is treating for malnutrition has quadrupled since May 18. Last week, the NGO reported that a quarter of children aged 6 months to 5-years-old, and pregnant or breastfeeding women screened at its Gaza facilities were malnourished. Israa Abu Halib could not find water during her walk to the hospital.
Humanitarian agencies and rights groups urgently demand that Israel end the total siege and allow unfettered, safe, and dignified access for humanitarian aid delivery to the entire Gaza Strip. The UN, World Food Programme, and other international bodies have issued repeated calls to action, highlighting the severity of the famine and calling for humanitarian corridors and aid facilitation.
The widely accepted solution among humanitarian organizations is the immediate lifting of the blockade and restoration of neutral, safe humanitarian aid access to prevent further starvation and deaths in Gaza.
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