WHO says 148 Palestinians died from malnutrition in Gaza due to Israeli aid blockade

GAZA STRIP, PALESTINE (FROM JULY 25 TO AUGUST 11, 2025) - Malnutrition has killed 148 Palestinians in Gaza this year due to an Israeli aid blockade, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday. At a UN press briefing in Geneva, Richard Peeperkorn, WHO representative in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, warned that the Gaza Strip's overall health situation remains dire. Regarding the ongoing hunger and malnutrition in the besieged enclave, he said that as of August 5, 148 people had died as a result of malnutrition in 2025. Of those, 98 were adults and 49 were children, including 39 under the age of five. Peeperkorn warned that nearly 12,000 Gazan children aged five and under were found to be suffering from acute malnutrition in July, the highest monthly figure to date. Concerning the crippling health care situation, the WHO representative said only 50% of hospitals and 38% of primary health care centers in Gaza are partially operational. Regarding critical shortages in medication and consumables, he said 52% of medicines and 68% of consumables are out of stock. Peeperkorn warned that injuries from food distribution areas are particularly burdening hospitals and contributing to a persistent blood and plasma shortage. He added that the number of casualties among people trying to get food supplies increased to 1,655 fatalities and more than 11,800 injuries since May 27 this year. (Footage by Doaa Albaz, Khames Alrefi, Hani Alshaer, Abdallah F.s. Alattar, Fadel A. A. Almaghari, Mohammed Nassar/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)