Amman, Dec. 9 (Petra) The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said Tuesday that thousands of children have been admitted to hospitals for treatment of acute malnutrition in Gaza since the October ceasefire.

UNICEF confirmed that 9,300 children received treatment for acute malnutrition in October, as the first phase of the agreement to end the war between Israel and Hamas came into effect.

UNICEF spokesperson Tess Ingram told a press briefing in Geneva that although the number is down from its August peak of more than 14,000 children, it remains far higher than levels recorded during the short ceasefire in February and March underscoring that aid flows remain insufficient.

Referring to the impact of malnutrition on pregnant women, Ingram said, "The situation is clear. Women who are malnourished are giving birth to premature or low-birth-weight babies who die in intensive care units or survive and suffer from malnutrition or other health complications." She added, "In October, we received 8,300 women pregnant and breastfeeding for treatment of acute malnutrition, roughly 270 per day, in an area that had not recorded a single case of malnutrition among pregnant women before October 2023." Ingram expressed regret over "obstacles imposed by Israeli authorities preventing the entry of some essential medical supplies into Gaza" and called for reopening the Rafah crossing to humanitarian aid.

//Petra// AF