Landmark study confirms man-made malnutrition crisis in Gaza – NaturalNews.com

• A comprehensive study estimates that over 54,600 children under five in Gaza are acutely malnourished, with more than 12,800 of these suffering from the most severe, life-threatening form of the condition.
• The research establishes an undeniable, data-driven correlation between aid restrictions and child wasting. Rates of malnutrition nearly doubled to 14.3 percent during a period of severe aid restrictions but plummeted to 5.5 percent during a ceasefire when aid flowed freely, proving the crisis is a direct result of policy.
• The situation is dire and escalating, with the overall waste rate reaching 15.8 percent by mid-August 2025. Localized crises are even more severe, with nearly 30 percent of young children in Gaza City affected, confirming a state of famine.
• The severe malnutrition will have lifelong consequences, leading to stunted cognitive and physical development, higher risks of chronic disease and reduced life expectancy, creating a “lost generation” whose suffering will shape the region for decades.
• The study presents the crisis as an empirical fact of man-made suffering, where child health is a barometer for aid access. It concludes that further deterioration and increased child mortality are inevitable without a lasting ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian aid, challenging the international community to act.

In a stark indictment of the humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip, a new study published in the prestigious medical journal The Lancet estimates that more than 54,600 children under the age of five are now acutely malnourished, with over 12,800 of those suffering from the most severe, life-threatening form of the condition. The research, led by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and based on data collected through mid-August, provides the most comprehensive evidence to date of a direct correlation between military blockades, aid restrictions and the physical wasting of Gaza’s youngest generation.

The study’s methodology was straightforward and chilling. Health workers screened nearly 220,000 children between the ages of six months and five years, using a simple mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) measurement. A thin arm, as measured by a color-coded tape, is a highly reliable indicator of a thin body, a condition known as wasting. Wasting is not merely being underweight; it is a medical crisis defined by rapid weight loss and a severe deficiency of energy, protein and essential nutrients. It stunts growth, cripples the immune system and without immediate intervention—typically weeks of specialized therapeutic food—it leads to death.

The research meticulously tracks the ebb and flow of this crisis over 20 months of conflict, creating an undeniable timeline of cause and effect. In January 2024, the prevalence of wasting stood at 4.7 percent. As the war ground on, that figure steadily climbed. A critical juncture came at the end of 2024, when a severe clampdown on aid deliveries saw the average number of aid trucks entering Gaza drop to a fraction of pre-war levels. By January 2025, the rate of child wasting had nearly doubled to 14.3 percent.

Perhaps the most damning evidence comes from what happened next. Early this year, a six-week ceasefire was established, allowing a significant increase in humanitarian aid to flow into the territory. The result was as predictable as it was tragic: the rate of wasting among children plummeted to 5.5 percent by March. This dramatic improvement proved that the crisis was not an inevitable byproduct of war, but a direct consequence of policy. When aid could get in, children’s health recovered.

A subsequent 11-week blockade again choked off supplies of food, water, fuel and medicine. The latest measurements show the devastating outcome: Wasting rates have skyrocketed to 15.8 percent of screened children. Extrapolated across Gaza, this means an estimated 54,600 children now require urgent therapeutic nutrition, with 12,800 of them classified as severely wasted. For these most vulnerable children, the chances of rehabilitation are slim, as the crippled healthcare system lacks the supplies and security to provide sustained care.

Ground-level catastrophe

The data reveals localized catastrophes that underscore the scale of the suffering. In Gaza City, where a UN-backed body has confirmed a state of famine, the prevalence of wasting rose sixfold in a matter of months, reaching nearly 30 percent by mid-August. In Rafah, rates briefly spiked to an unimaginable 31.5 percent following a major military offensive, only to fall again when a ceasefire allowed aid to resume.

While Israeli authorities have repeatedly blamed Hamas for aid disruptions and accused humanitarian agencies of inefficiency, the data points to a broader systemic failure. Aid organizations report that military restrictions, ongoing hostilities and the destruction of infrastructure have made their work perilous and often ineffective. The sheer desperation has led to deadly incidents, with the UN reporting hundreds of Palestinians killed while seeking humanitarian assistance.

“A ceasefire is presented as a necessary first step to stop the famine affecting children, as it would allow for a significant increase in humanitarian and commercial access to the population,” said Brighteon.AI‘s Enoch. “Without this access, the delivery of life-saving aid, food and water remains severely hampered. Therefore, while a ceasefire alone may not instantly end the famine, it is an essential requirement to enable the actions needed to prevent it.”

The Lancet study moves the conversation about Gaza from the realm of political claims and counterclaims into the domain of empirical, scientific fact. It presents an irrefutable case of man-made suffering, where the health of children has become a barometer for the flow of aid trucks. The data tells a story of a generation being sacrificed, their bodies wasting away not by chance, but as a direct result of policy decisions and military tactics. The world now possesses the evidence. The question that remains is whether it possesses the conscience to act. The truth, as documented in this sobering research, is that the children of Gaza are not just casualties of war, but victims of a preventable famine.

Watch this report on Trump pushing Israel-Hamas ceasefire.

This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

MedicalXpress.com

TheLancet.com

TheGuardian.com

EurekAlert.org

Brighteon.ai

Brighteon.com