UN Reports Doubling of Child Malnutrition in Gaza as Israeli Strikes Continue

Child malnutrition rates in the Gaza Strip have doubled since March, according to United Nations agencies, following Israel's intensified restrictions on the entry of food and supplies. The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) reported that 10.2% of nearly 16,000 children under age five screened at its clinics in June were acutely malnourished, compared to 5.5% of almost 15,000 children in March. UNICEF also documented a significant rise, with 5,870 cases of malnutrition among children in June, more than double the cases recorded in February.

Meanwhile, health officials in Gaza said Israeli airstrikes killed 93 people and wounded 278 others in the past 24 hours, with many women and children among the casualties. One of the strikes killed Mohammed Faraj al-Ghoul, a Hamas member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, along with several families sheltering in residential buildings. The Israeli military did not comment on the specific strikes but has stated its operations target militants and that civilian casualties are a result of Hamas operating in populated areas.

Aid distribution remains a challenge. The Israeli military agency COGAT reported that thousands of pallets of supplies are inside Gaza awaiting pickup by UN trucks, attributing delays to the UN. The UN cited Israeli military restrictions and security concerns as obstacles to distribution. Since May, Israel has allowed an average of 69 aid trucks per day, well below the hundreds the UN says are needed for Gaza's population.

Efforts to reach a ceasefire have stalled, with recent talks between U.S. and Israeli leaders yielding no breakthrough. Gaza's Health Ministry reports that over 58,400 Palestinians have been killed and more than 139,000 wounded since October 2023, with more than half of the fatalities being women and children. Israel launched its campaign following a Hamas attack that killed about 1,200 people and resulted in the abduction of 251 others.

In a separate incident, U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee called for an investigation into the death of Seifeddin Musalat, a Palestinian-American reportedly killed by Israeli settlers in the West Bank. "There must be accountability for this criminal and terrorist act," Huckabee said.

Elsewhere, Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley targeted Hezbollah compounds, with Lebanese authorities reporting 12 deaths, including seven Syrians at a refugee camp. The strikes are part of ongoing cross-border hostilities despite a nominal ceasefire.