Gaza, MINA — The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called for the immediate reopening of all border crossings to allow the entry of food aid into the Gaza Strip, warning of a potential surge in child deaths due to severely weakened immune systems.
“The situation is critical. We are facing the risk of a sharp increase in child fatalities, not only among newborns but also infants, because their immunity is weaker than ever,” said Ricardo Pires, UNICEF spokesperson, on Friday.
UNICEF emphasized that providing nutritional support is now an urgent priority, with an estimated 50,000 children at risk of acute malnutrition and in need of immediate treatment.
Pires explained that children’s immune systems have been critically compromised after prolonged food deprivation. “They haven’t had proper food, and in many recent cases, they haven’t eaten at all for extended periods,” he said.
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He added that children require essential vitamins and nutrients not only for growth but also to resist temperature changes and disease outbreaks.[]
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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