Hell for Babies in Gaza: Infant Formula Becomes a Luxury, and Child Deaths Are Daily!
Imagine a world where the basic food for babies — infant formula — has become a luxury that few can afford. Welcome to Gaza, where a daily tragedy unfolds, and the world watches but fails to act quickly enough.
Hunger and Baby Deaths: A Horrifying Reality
In Gaza, mothers struggle with the inability to breastfeed because they themselves are malnourished. At least 100 trucks of aid are needed daily, but actual deliveries are far less. Doctors warn that the supply of infant formula is running dangerously low — only about a week’s worth remains. Specialized formula for premature babies has already run out, forcing doctors to use regular formula, rationing it among infants.
Children cry from hunger, and mothers have nothing to feed them. The situation is so critical that 66 Palestinian children have died of hunger since the war began in October 2023. Amnesty International accuses Israel of using starvation as a weapon of war, aiming for genocide against the Palestinian people.
Blockade and Confiscation of Aid: Who’s to Blame?
Israel has blocked almost all humanitarian aid except a small portion, leading to a catastrophic shortage of food and infant formula. Although Israeli agencies claim they do not restrict baby food supplies, doctors and aid workers say otherwise. There have even been cases where Israeli authorities confiscated cans of infant formula from medical workers’ luggage entering Gaza.
Additionally, aid often comes through controversial private companies that do not include infant formula, worsening the crisis.
Desperate Mothers: Fighting for Their Children’s Lives
Hana Al Tavil, a mother of five living in a refugee camp, could not breastfeed due to malnutrition. She struggled to find formula for her child, who is developmentally delayed due to malnutrition. Another mother, Nurhan Barakat, says she could breastfeed for only a month before having to stop due to lack of food.
These stories are not isolated. Thousands of mothers in Gaza fight to feed their children while the price of formula on the black market soars to $50 per can — ten times the normal price.
Doctors Sound the Alarm: Children Are the First Victims of Hunger
Doctors warn that malnutrition in children under three can cause permanent developmental problems, including memory issues and stunted growth. Infant deaths are a disturbing sign that the hunger crisis in Gaza is worsening.
Dr. Taer Ahmad, a member of a medical delegation, says, “When you see babies starting to die, panic and alarm should begin. Children are the first to die in hunger crises.”
What’s the Solution?
Doctors and aid workers say the only real solution is ending the war and opening crossings to allow unrestricted entry of aid, including infant formula. Without this, Gaza faces an even greater tragedy.
Conclusion: The World Must Not Look Away
While political games continue, the most vulnerable — babies dying from hunger and malnutrition — suffer. This crisis is not just humanitarian but moral. How can we allow this to happen in the 21st century?
If you have a take or think this is too awful to be true, drop a comment below. Maybe together we can raise our voices and make the world pay attention to this tragedy.
Source: Blic
