Quarter Children, Pregnant Women Malnourished in Gaza Amid Food Shortages

Gaza is facing a severe humanitarian crisis with a critical shortage of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) needed to treat severely malnourished children, with UNICEF warning supplies could run out by mid-August. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) reports that 25% of young children and pregnant or breastfeeding women screened at their Gaza clinics are malnourished, with severe malnutrition rates in children under five tripling recently. MSF and other humanitarian agencies attribute this crisis to Israel's blockade and policies, which they describe as deliberate starvation, exacerbating hunger and malnutrition among civilians. Israel maintains it controls aid to prevent diversion to militant groups and accuses Hamas of exploiting the crisis. The UN and aid organizations highlight the rising death toll from starvation and attacks on aid recipients, while international pressure mounts on Israel over the worsening conditions. Meanwhile, political developments continue, with France recognizing Palestinian statehood in a move that has drawn mixed international reactions.