An organisation that represents the nursing profession globally has called on world governments to do their part to ensure food aid enters Gaza – as reports suggest malnutrition-related deaths are soaring there.
A spike in deaths related to a lack of food and water, as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO), has sparked the calls from the International Council of Nurses (ICN) and other humanitarian observers.
“Alarming reports of widespread severe malnutrition, preventable deaths, and impending famine risks demand urgent action”
ICN
A statement was issued by the ICN on Friday, prior to airdrops over the weekend and military pauses by Israel to allow food convoys through, calling on world leaders to respond to the “worsening situation”.
“The ICN urgently calls on all governments and relevant authorities to facilitate immediate and unimpeded aid and humanitarian access to the region,” the statement said.
“Alarming reports of widespread severe malnutrition, preventable deaths, and impending famine risks demand urgent action,” said the global nursing group.
The organisation has previously called for peace between Israel and Palestine, and highlighted the issue of humanitarian and healthcare workers being targeted in conflict zones around the world.
The statement continued: “Healthcare and humanitarian workers are facing the same risks of starvation as they continue their lifesaving efforts, while WHO reports that many hospitals and health centres are no longer functioning or operating only at minimal capacity due to attacks, shortages of fuel and supplies, and limits on access.
“We emphasise the imperative under international humanitarian law to ensure the protection of all civilians and humanitarian and health care facilities and professionals, and to support the provision of essential aid, including food, water, and medical supplies.
“The denial or delay of humanitarian assistance is both illegal and unacceptable,” the ICN added.
The ICN’s latest statement followed a vigil it held in honour to aid and healthcare workers in conflict zones, such as Gaza, which took place at its recent bi-annual congress in Helsinki, Finland.
During the event in June, ICN chief executive Howard Catton repeatedly paid tribute to nurses caught in conflict zones, as well as humanitarian disasters and called for better protections for them.
Gaza, in the occupied Palestinian territories, has been under occupation and invasion by Israel since October 2023, when a long-standing conflict between the two countries reignited.
It was sparked by an attack by Palestinian group Hamas, which controls the Gaza strip, which killed more than 1,000 people, including many civilians.
Israel’s retaliatory invasion has since killed over 50,000 people, and injured more than 100,000 others; most of these deaths and injuries, according to the United Nations, have been civilians.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) has been criticised for impeding a significant amount of aid entering the Gaza strip. A total blockade on aid was only partially lifted in May.
Since then, reports of deaths related to malnutrition have increased significantly, but have been repeatedly denied by Israeli officials. According to the WHO, 63 malnutrition-related deaths occurred in July.
The ICN has estimated that around one in five children in Gaza City were acutely malnourished and that rates of malnutrition have doubled in Khan Younis and the Middle Area in just one month.
It also said that 5,000 children under five were admitted for outpatient treatment for malnutrition in the first two weeks of July.
Almost all households – around 95% – were facing severe water shortages and the WHO warned that the situation will not improve unless restrictions on bringing aid into Gaza are lifted.
Meanwhile, international observers have reported that areas where aid has been distributed have been attacked by the IDF.
The death toll continues to climb and human rights groups – including some from inside Israel – have accused the Israeli government of committing a genocide, which it vehemently denies.
Earlier today, US president Donald Trump said there was “real starvation” in Gaza, while the United Nation’s humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, said: “We need vast amounts of aid going in, much faster.”
