Gaza sees 'lethal combination' of hunger, disease amid Israel-Hamas war — 93% starving, over a lakh people sick
extreme measures to afford a simple meal," the WHO added. As Israel continues its attack on Hamas-ruled Gaza, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) global partnership released new estimates, saying Gaza is facing "catastrophic levels of food insecurity", with the risk of famine "increasing each day". The horror doesn't end here.
The WHO said this "ravaging" hunger could lead to an increase in illness across the Strip. Gaza is already experiencing soaring rates of infectious diseases. Here are some numbers released by the global health body on Thursday: > Over 1,00,000 (a lakh) cases of diarrhoea have been reported since mid-October.
Half of these are among young children under the age of five years. This is 25 times what was reported before the Israel-Hamas conflict began. > Over 1,50,000 cases of upper respiratory infection and numerous cases of meningitis, skin rashes, scabies, lice and chickenpox have been reported.
> Hepatitis is also suspected, as many people present with the telltale signs of jaundice. ALSO READ: Israel-Hamas War: 'Will take out Hamas, bring home our hostages’, says Netanyahu The WHO pointed put that the “lethal combination of hunger and disease" lead to more deaths in Gaza. The WHO explained that hunger weakens human body’s defences and opens the door to disease.
Moreover, it said, malnutrition increases the risk of children dying from illnesses like diarrhoea, pneumonia and measles. "While a healthy body can more easily fight off these diseases, a wasted and weakened body will struggle," it added. Not just children and older people, but pregnant and breastfeeding women are among those severely affected due to hunger and malnutrition in the war-torn Strip.
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